King's Disposition
by Inquizitor
Summary: 'Losing a piece does not mean a game is lost. Sometimes a piece must be sacrificed for something greater. The game isn't over until your King is dead.' A quest for power and vengeance. A tale of allies and enemies. Lelouch will not stop until his King is dead. AU.
1. Chapter 1: Queen Sac

**A/N: Thanks for clicking on the first chapter of King's Disposition. I hope you enjoy the story. This is, of course, a story about Lelouch if he had remained connected to Britannia. I won't change the plot so much to the point where I'm just borrowing characters, but don't expect the events in the canon to happen in the same exact way here. Lelouch will have a different outlook on things, and a different situation so his judgment will be relatively different.  
**

**This story was inspired by Allora Gale's Dauntless, Cal Reflector's Lelouch of Britannia, LunaticChaos' Prince or Zero?, and 's A King Without a Crown. If you haven't read any of those, then I suggest you do. They're absolutely frickin' amazing. **

**DISCLAIMER: If I could, I would, but I can't, so I shant.**

**Some notes: I play a fair amount of chess which is why you will see chess terms. I will try to explain them as best as I can before each chapter.**

_**A5, D4, E3, F6...etc.**_** These are specific locations on the chessboard if it was to be divided into grids. From white's perspective, horizontally starts from A and goes to H left to right, and vertically, goes from 1 to 8 bottom to the top.**

_**Check**_** – A move that threatens the enemy King. Normal check means it can be blocked or escaped from. Otherwise, it is a ****_checkmate_. **

_**Checkmate**_** – Indicates game over. When one King is being threatened by a piece (check) and is unable to escape check.**

_**Stalemate**_** – Indicates game over. When one player is no longer able to move any of his pieces without breaking the rules of chess.**

_**Sharp**_** – Games or moves are considered "sharp" when they are in a sense, risky. These moves/games are usually non-intuitive, but incredibly powerful. Wrong moves/mistakes will be very costly.**

_**Sac – **_**Short for "sacrifice". Giving up one piece to gain an overall advantage.**

**That should be it for most of the chess terms. If there are any questions, feel free to leave them in the reviews. If you don't like the chess jargon, then please let me know and I'll keep it to a minimum. Without further ado, I present to thee...**

King's Disposition  
Chapter 1: Queen Sac

Aries Villa

Tap...tap...tap...The smooth wooden pieces were aligned in their respective positions before a pale hand picked up a pawn and placed it back down two squares in front. Black responded in kind. White Pawn to E4, Black Pawn to C5.

"Really, Lelouch?" Schneizel smirked as he moved his knight to F3. "Another Sicilian?"

"Quiet Schneizel. It's the best response." Black Pawn advance to D6.

"Which is exactly why it is _so_ predictable." White Pawn to D4. "Take it."

"I will." Lelouch captured the white pawn before gesturing for Schneizel to continue. "Now recapture."

"See, this game far too predictable. Both of us know exactly how this game is going to turn out." As the White Knight claimed his pawn, Lelouch moved own knight forward to F6.

"Is that so? Tell me, brother, what do we both know?" Lelouch eyed his brother's next move: an advancement of his other knight to C3. _'And now comes the critical moment.'_ Black pawn to G6.

"Ah, an interesting variation. You've been studying, haven't you?" Schneizel picked up his dark square bishop. "But you haven't been studying as much as I have. We both know I'm still going to win." Bishop to E3.

Lelouch let out a sigh as he leaned back on his chair. Schneizel was going to best him again. _'And there goes game 17.'_ He was banking on the fact that he and Schneizel had never played this variation before, and that the Second Prince would be caught off guard. Apparently not. And against an opponent of such high caliber, Lelouch knew he was going to lose. As his hand moved to tip over his King in resignation.

"0 – 17, and you win ag-"

Lelouch's finger was about to knock his King over before Schneizel's hand grasped his wrist. He looked up in confusion. Wasn't Schneizel going to take the win? "What are you doing?"

The second prince merely looked amused. "Over so soon, Lelouch? Only a few moves in and you've already given up?"

"I know when I've lost..."

"Keep playing. It's more fun that way, and who knows? I might even make a mistake."

And make a mistake he did. Or did he? Lelouch didn't know but thirty minutes later he took Schneizel's Queen.

"See, Lelouch! I told you this game would be more entertaining. That's the first time you've ever taken my Queen." Despite the loss of one of his most powerful pieces, Schneizel's grin only grew wider.

"Why are you smiling? You just lost your queen!"

"And? Just because I lost a Queen doesn't mean I'm going to lose the game."

"And how do you plan on winning without your strongest piece on the board?"

"Strongest piece? What do you mean without my strongest piece?"

"Able to move in any direction and for as far as she wants. What other piece could be stronger than that?" As if to prove his point, Lelouch moved his Queen.

"That is true, the Queen is versatile, but she's very vulnerable and very valuable. You would never trade a Queen for a Bishop... " Schneizel's placed his bishop in position to attack the queen. Wanting to protect his most powerful piece, Lelouch repositioned. "...or a Rook." Slowly, Lelouch's own Queen was backed into a corner.

"But the strongest piece is not the one that can take the most pieces before dying, but the one that can take the most pieces without dying. My strongest pieces are right here." Knight advance, Black Queen captured. "Checkmate."

_'What! The knights! He sacrificed his Queen on purpose to give his knights an opportunity!'_

"You tricked me."

"No, I did not. If you thought a bit further, you could have sacrificed your Queen here..." Schneizel repositioned the board and instead of repositioning the queen, let it be taken by the rook. "And used your bishop to force me into a check. From there, a few proper moves and I might have lost, but of course, you were too hung up on protecting your Queen that you forgot the other pieces can do just as much damage. Losing a Queen isn't the same as losing the game. Keep moving forward, and who knows. Perhaps you might even win."

The two prince's turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps. They turned to see the Fifth Empress standing in the doorway.

"Boys, would you like something to drink? You've been playing that game for almost an hour." Marianne Vi Britannia strode into the room with Nunally following quickly behind her. Two servants entered with trays of drinks, varying from milk to orange juice to soda to water. While the two princes picked out their drinks, Nunally proceeded to entertain herself with the chess pieces.

"What's this one?" She held up Lelouch's Queen.

"That's the Queen. It's the stronge-" Lelouch caught himself before glancing briefly at Schneizel. The older prince was holding back a chuckle. "It's a very strong piece."

The princess placed the Queen back onto the board and looked around before asking her brother a question he could not answer. "Then which one's the best?"

"..." Lelouch looked once more towards Schneizel, hoping his brother would have some greater insight. The second prince merely shrugged.

"Personally, I think it's the knight. Lelouch?"

"We'll have to figure it out, won't we?" The eleventh prince picked up his fallen King and set him back where he belonged.

* * *

_**Lelouch vi Britannia vs. Schneizel el Britannia  
Game 17**_

"_**Historians now look back on this and call it one of the most important turning points in history. More crucial than Germany's failed assault on the Soviet Union. More influential than Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent revolution. More earth-shattering than Charles "the Hammer" Martel's successful defense against the Islamic invasion. We could even go so far back as to say this single game of chess was more important and deciding than Leonidas' defense at Thermopylae which led to the Athenian victory at Marathon."**_

"_**Really? I never thought a simple game of chess would be more influential in the world order than the defense of Western civilization."**_

"_**Ha. Of course, not every historian believes this, but most of them will agree with me."**_

"_**And why is this?"**_

"_**Because the young prince had learned a lesson he would never forget."**_

_**-Britannian Broadcasting System, 24 July, 2104. "Interview with Professor of History Winston Scott at the University of Pendragon on the life and influence of Lelouch vi Britannia."**_

* * *

It was a sad day, the day that Marianne vi Britannia died. Despite the death of an Empress, Britannia paid little respects. There was no funeral. There were no moments of silence. Perhaps the only one to share in Lelouch's desolation was heaven itself, shedding tears of rain on the Empire, and blocking the sun which never sets. The prince could only sit in the back of his vehicle, a sleek black car, and stare at the distorted image of himself through the mirror and rain as the city of Pendragon flew across his sight. He prayed for Nunnally, an innocent little girl who was still recovering from he coma. She had awoken only days before, and cried to her brother that she couldn't see. She didn't deserve anything. None of them did, but having royal blood in their veins made them targets. Fanatics and rebels saw regicide as an answer to the "tyrannic rule" of Charles zi Britannia, making the vi Britannians enemies of the people. And with Marianne being a commoner, the vi Britannians were enemies of the royals as well. So there he sat, with a dead mother and an disabled sister, with many enemies and no allies, on his way to the Imperial Palace to meet the one man who would make or break his future.

"Your Highness, we have arrived." Lelouch's driver opened his door and allowed Lelouch to step under an open umbrella. "His Majesty is expecting you."

"Of course." The two walked along the palace's walkways until they reached the palace entrance. "Thank you, you are dismissed."

"Yes, sire." Lelouch turned to enter. "But, your highness."

Lelouch turned his head to look behind him. "Yes?" The man bowed.

"If I may say, it was an honor working under Empress Marianne vi Britannia. May she rest in peace."

Lelouch only nodded before adding his own whisper. _'May she rest in peace.'_

The noise in the grand hall dimmed as Lelouch stepped into view, black cape trailing behind him. Several nobles began to snicker, only to silence themselves upon receiving Lelouch's glare. His face wrinkled in disgust at the men who would grovel at the feet of his father and kiss his shadow as if it were a gift from god. These men who looked only after their own. He knew why they were here: to watch. His situation was made into a drama for these aristocrats to enjoy. His plight would be the source of their entertainment. He was to be made a spectacle. _'If they came to hear me beg, they will be severely disappointed.'_

Lelouch walked across the red carpet, looking down, and grimaced with each step, his face twitching at the memory of his deceased mother. _'So much blood.'_ It wasn't long before he came to the foot of his father's throne. Lelouch did not look up as he knelt, for if he was to look up now, Lelouch would lose himself in unbridled fury. Where was this man when his mother died? Where was this man when Marianne was murdered? Where was her funeral? There were many questions Lelouch wanted to ask, but restrained himself as his eyes bore a hole through the blood-red carpet.

"Your Majesty." Lelouch gritted through his teeth as he held his spot. One mistake. One reason. Only a single failure on Lelouch's part would get him a one-way ticket to his mother, and he couldn't die yet. Nunnally was still in the hospital. _'Do it for her.'_ Time seemed to pass so slowly as Lelouch awaited his father's acknowledgment.

"Rise, Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire." Lelouch let go of the breath he was holding, and rose to his feet, still avoiding any eye contact. The floor was a much better option than the emperor. "Now, why have you requested this audience with me."

_'You know why I requested this audience!'_ Lelouch locked his jaw in anger, as he could feel the emperor's smile as he said those words. _'He's toying with me, but I have to play his game.'_

"I have requested in audience in order to speak of..._current events._"

"Hm, do tell. Which events do you speak of?" Several snickers reverberated through the enormous hall, but the emperor thought nothing of it. Lelouch could feel the man's smirk grow wider.

"I speak of the assassination of my m-... of Marianne vi Britannia."

"Ah, the death of an Empress. Truly a tragedy, is it not? She was my favorite too." At the sound of the last sentence, Lelouch's head snapped up and stared furiously into Charles, whose smirk only grew wider and wider until it took a maniacal grin. "Now please, speak your mind."

Lelouch's eyes narrowed as he stared at his father. Why was the old man smiling? What was there to smile about? Lelouch took a brief moment to calm himself before he spoke, restraining his resentment towards his father. He didn't need to burn the only bridge he had left.

"Revenge." He breathed heavily as he vented his anger.

The emperor's grin dropped as his face furrowed into a frown, showing his distaste. Lelouch's response was evidently not what Charles had been expecting.

"Revenge? What does a boy like you know about revenge? Cease your foolishness." Lelouch clenched his fists at the blatant disregard, his voice, rising as he was no longer able to restrain himself. Was his father so heartless as to not even seek revenge for one of his own wives? Perhaps he was, afterall, Charles zi Britannia was ruler of the Holy Britannian Empire, and compassion was something nonexistent in the royal line.

"I am not being foolish! I'm simply doing what _you_ haven't!" Several gasps ran across the room as silence pervaded the hall. Charles narrowed his eyes at the disrespectful youth. The boy's words were an indirect accusation, and the emperor didn't take accusations lightly. Lelouch would either prove himself worthy of absolution, or disgrace himself.

"Then tell me, what can _you_ do? How will _you_ seek revenge?" Charles' spat out, coldly, his eyes locked onto Lelouch's. What was it that he saw? Hidden behind furious resentment was something that Charles was even surprised to see: resolve. Lelouch was hell-bent on punishing those who had wronged him.

"I am a prince of the empire, and I will obliterate anyone who dares to stop me! I will find them, and I will end them." Lelouch's voice rose until his voice echoed and resonated through the room. His breathing was heavy as he stared intently at his father. Charles' knuckles turned white as he gripped his golden throne; never before had another raised his voice against him. Lelouch would pay for this transgression, that much was certain, but Charles could see the determination in the boy. Crushing his spirit before making good use of that determination would be a waste.

"Very well." The emperor relaxed into his throne, his grip on his throne relaxing. He waved a hand and two servants immediately knelt at his feet. "Set up a game of chess right here."

"At once." As the two servants left the hall, Lelouch narrowed his eyes.

"What are you trying to play at?"

"Me? I am playing at nothing. Schneizel, however, shall play you in a game of chess. Prove your worth by playing your brother. You did say you would obliterate anyone who stood in your way, did you not? Schneizel, come." From the side, Schneizel strode along the red carpet until he too knelt in front of the emperor.

"Yes, your Highness." As the two servants entered with a table, chairs and a chess board, Schneizel rose and looked at Lelouch eye to eye. Lelouch had never won against Schneizel before. The second prince's tactical prowess was venerated throughout the empire, earning him the title of the White Prince. That, and the fact that he was twice Lelouch's age, made defeating him a nigh impossible feat. _'Prove your worth...prove your worth...prove your worth. I may not be able to defeat him, but all I need to do is prove my worth.'_

As Lelouch mentally repeated his father's orders, Schneizel picked up the first piece and made his move: white pawn advance, black pawn reponse. From the first few moves, it seemed like another standard game, and those always ended in Schneizel's favor. Lelouch had to make a change, another variation, but Schneizel was a master tactician; he could interpret any move, and any play, and form the perfect counter. His style of play was a reflection of his character: deceitful, full of traps and baits. Each move that seemed like a waste of a turn would have increasingly stronger impacts further in the games. He never directly attacked, only threatened until there was nowhere left to run before unleashing the full force of his army.

However, Lelouch was determined to create some variation in the game. Schneizel was accustomed to the formulaic classical styles, full of openings and responses. Lelouch might as well have been replaced by a book; a book Schneizel had studied before. No, playing like a book would only serve to weaken his image as Schneizel would stomp out the rest of Lelouch's army. Instead, he took a step towards his own style of play: the style that would set himself above his brother. Black King advance.

"A king so wide in the open, Lelouch? Have you given up so quickly?" Schneizel moved his knight. "Check."

"No, merely seeing how shallow you truly are." Lelouch mentally chuckled at the plan that was unfolding in his head. Black King advances again.

"By running your King into my pieces? Hardly a sound strategy." White Bishop moves. "Check. You know, at this rate, you're going to lose."

"Not as soon as you'd think, brother." Black Rook block. "Shall we trade?"

Bishop takes Rook, King takes Bishop. Knight moves. Check. Black King advances once more.

"What are you doing Lelouch?" White Queen moves to check Lelouch's King. "Check again. You're out of space to run."

"You're right. Then, I suppose it's time to stop running." Bishop blocks the Queen. "Shall we trade once more?"

"Bishop for a Queen? You must be mad. Why trade, when I can continue my assault?" White Rook advance. "Check."

"I was hoping you would do that." Lelouch smiled as he picked up his own Knight and blocked the attack of the Rook. "Check, and this game is over."

Indeed it was. Only one more move, and the game would end. White King is forced to advance. Black Queen moves to check. White knight captures Queen. Game over.

"As you see, Schneizel, I am in quite the bind. I can't move without breaking any of the rules of chess, so I suppose this game will have to end as a draw." Lelouch extended his hand out while Schneizel only stared at the board in shock. Of course, the white prince had still yet to lose a single game, but to bring the game to a stalemate was not what he had been expecting. With his lead, he should have easily defeated Lelouch, but the King's sporadic advancements had clouded his judgment. He had focused too much on capturing the King, so much so, that he had missed the stalemate that was waiting to happen. Lelouch wasn't playing to win as Schneizel had expected; the young prince was playing for a draw. The second prince looked up, only to see a smile plastered on Lelouch's face. A stalemate against a man of Schneizel's caliber was unheard of, and if the likewise stunned faces of the aristocracy were any indication, Lelouch had proven himself. Reluctantly, Schneizel shook his brother's hand.

"Brother, where did you learn to play like that?" Schenzeil sat back in his chair, still contemplating the circumstances surrounding the draw: an aggressive King that had backed himself into a corner, but protected on every side, either by Lelouch's pieces, or Schneizel's.

"Schneizel...do you remember what Nunnally asked a few years back? What the strongest piece was?"

"But of course. My choice was always and will always be the Knight. Able to attack and remain untouched, there are no other pieces that can move like the Knight."

"True, and fitting for a man like you, but I have found my own answer, and that answer is the King."

"The King?" Schneizel's eyebrows rose in interest. He had not anticipated such an answer. Queen, obviously. Rook, maybe. Bishop, perhaps. Knight most likely, and with some uncertainty, the pawn, but never the King. Most valuable, yes, but strongest? What could the King do? Schneizel was curious and wanted to find out.

"Yes, the King. The King is the most important piece on the board, for if he falls, then the game is lost. The opponent will sacrifice any piece if it meant capturing the King, however this is also his greatest strength. The King is not without his guards," Lelouch pointed to his Rook, Bishop and Knight, "and as you blindly charge at the vulnerable King, you fail to see the wall that has been formed around him. The King protects his pieces as much as his pieces protect him. He is not a fragile glass sculpture that needs to be hidden in the corner of the board. He is a soldier who battles alongside his men, for if the King does not lead, how does he expect his subordinates to follow?"

Schneizel sat in silence as he ingested Lelouch's wisdom. _'How does a ten-year old boy think like that?'_ His thoughts were broken by a thunderous sound.

_Clap...clap...clap..._ The silence in the room was lifted by the single clap of the emperor as he stared at his two sons. Following their emperor, the many others who were watching the match began to clap as well, not to congratulate Lelouch, but to not be disrespectful towards their emperor.

"I see my blood runs strong. You've done well, Lelouch. State your request."

"I want a full investigation with all of Britannia's resources. Find the assassins and kill them."

"Denied."

"What!" Lelouch stood up angrily. "I proved myself worthy! What more do you want!"

"Sit. Down." The overwhelming authority of Charles' words forced the boy back into his chair. "You may have proven yourself, but Britannia does not have the resources to waste on an investigation such as this. We have more pressing matters to attend to: Japan. They are sitting on an inconceivable amount of Sakuradite, and we must claim it for our own, so I shall propose a deal. The vi Britannians shall assist the empire in acquiring the Sakuradite mines under Japan, and in turn, I shall give you your investigation. Is this fair?"

_'Japan...a suitable trade.'_ "Of course, your Highness. I accept. When do I leave?"

"You? Leave? Don't be foolish. You will not go anywhere. However, I am told that your sister has regained consciousness. She will leave in a month." Lelouch sat in his chair, stunned. His father had used his handicapped sister as leverage, but he would rather sacrifice himself than let his sister be used as a piece in the political game.

"Your Majesty, please. Leave Nunnally out of this. I shall go in her stead."

"You? Then who shall lead the investigation?"

"I shall, after we have acquired the Sakuradite. I am willing to wait." From the smile that was slowly creeping onto the emperor's face, Lelouch deduced this scenario was the one the his father wanted.

"And your sister?"

"Allow her to remain here in Pendragon." At Lelouch's request, Charles' mind began working like clockwork; steady and methodical. If the girl was left here at Pendragon, she would be perfect leverage against Lelouch, if the boy ever showed such disrespect again. She could even be used as a symbol of Britannia's generosity, and fortitude. Even a disabled princess could be strong. Yes...perhaps it would work. Lelouch either knowingly or unknowingly dug himself into his own trap.

"...Very well. You leave in one week."

* * *

Imperial Palace – West Corridor

"I'm surprised. I thought you would run in screaming for our father to do something, not formally request an audience." Schneizel sat opposite to Lelouch in a small room in the corner of the palace. Not many people knew of the place, and the two would often sit there to play chess. This time, however, the set remained untouched, the wooden pieces standing in their initial positions. "But even so, you weren't most respectful towards him. You'd better watch yourself."

"I know, it was my mistake. I was actually going to stride in the day after mother died, and I was going to come here and demand revenge." Lelouch looked down at his hands, and recalled his moment of anger and grief. "But then I remembered your words."

"Mine?"

"Yes, yours. 'Losing a Queen isn't the same as losing the game. Keep moving forward, and who knows. Perhaps you might even win.' If I ran up to father and demanded a response, I would've been setting myself up for slaughter, and I'm not ready to give in just yet."

"Ha. So you've learned. You may have tied me once, but never again."

"I don't expect to. I intend to win." The two shared a laugh before a serene silence descended. Out of all of his siblings, Lelouch could only speak to Schneizel amiably. Most of his other brothers and sisters were out to stab him in the back.

"What about Nunnally?" Schneizel broke the silence.

"What about her?"

"She is to remain here in Pendragon, with all of her enemies, and without her brother. She is disabled, and unable to fend for herself. Do you truly believe it is wise to do such a thing?"

"In all honesty, no. I fear her life will be in danger, or worse, be used as a political tool. However, I can do nothing better."

"Then what is your plan? Let her be eaten by a pack of wolves?"

"No...I shall ask Euphy. She and Nunnally are close and often played together in the villa. Perhaps she can keep her safe."

"A sound decision. But if she refuses? Will you take Nunnally to Japan?"

"Absolutely not. Japan is a war waiting to happen. She'll be safer here." Schneizel let out a sigh. Sometimes, he forgot how young Lelouch was. His intelligence and maturity seemed too old and experienced for a ten year old boy, but Lelouch's age did nothing to help him understand the complexity of politics. Britannian aristocracy was just as much a battle, perhaps even more so, yet Lelouch seemed to think otherwise.

"I hope for your sake, that you are right." Schneizel stood up and walked towards the door. "Be careful Lelouch. As long as you are a benefit to the empire, the emperor will keep you, but the instant you show signs of weakness, he'll destroy you."

"...Then I suppose I'll have to stay in his good graces."

* * *

"_**Good evening, gentlemen. I have with me today, Magnus Carlsen, one of the greatest chess players of all time, who is also now entering his ninety-sixth year. Happy birthday Magnus."**_

"_**Thank you, Mr. Kasparov."**_

"_**Now we're here to talk Schneizel el Britannia."**_

"_**Yes. He was an amazing chess player, capable of defeating all of his opponents in chess."**_

"_**Do you think you could have given him a run for his money?"**_

"_**Haha. You are too funny, Mr. Kasparov. Nobody was able to defeat him in chess. Not even I could match his genius."**_

"_**So you say, but his final score at the time of his death was 47,953 wins – 1 loss – 214 draws. Incredible. Absolutely incredible. However, the 1 loss seems to give away from his undefeated status. Who beat him?"**_

"_**That loss was by his brother and second greatest player in the world, Lelouch vi Britannia, but even then, the score between the two was around 53 wins – 1 loss – 214 draws in Schneizel's favor."**_

"_**And the draws were also by his brother, huh?"**_

"_**Yes. Interestingly, after the first draw, Schneizel never beat Lelouch again, but neither could Lelouch defeat Schneizel. The first draw ever played was in the midst of the emperor, and the opening Lelouch developed is now called the King's Disposition, vi Britannian variation. Incredibly aggressive and powerful, but also incredibly sharp. A wrong move would cost you the game."**_

"_**And what about that one loss?"**_

"_**Ah, now that is a game of the century. Both players at their primes."**_

"_**What was it called?"**_

"_**Schneizel's Folly."**_

_**-The Chess Channel: From Beginner to Grandmaster. "Holiday Special: Interview with Magnus Carlsen on Schneizel el Britannia – the King of Chess." November 30, 2141.**_

* * *

**A/N: And that's all folks. For Chapter 1, at least. I hope you've liked it. Yes, the idea of the "interview" is from Cal Reflector's Lelouch of Britannia. I thought it worked so well, especially with the story, that I absolutely had to use it. Forgive me Cal, but your ideas were too good of an opportunity to just give up. Leave a comment/review below and let me know what you think.**

Extra: A cookie to whoever can name opening Lelouch played (which variation), and the name of Schneizel's response. Don't google it! Or do, I wouldn't know.


	2. Chapter 2: Fool's Mate

**A/N: Thanks to all the people who reviewed the first chapter. It's good to know that you guys like the story. This chapter ties up the introduction, so our main story can begin with all its glory. This is the time right after Lelouch's arrival, and before episode one. I hope you enjoy chapter 2, and the little twist I put in the plot. **

**DISCLAIMER: Owning Code Geass is like winning the lottery. It's too bad I've never won the lottery before.**

**There's all the fun mumbo jumbo info I have for this chapter. Without further ado, I present to thee...**

* * *

King's Disposition

Chapter 2: Fool's Mate

One week later...

Once again, Lelouch leaned back in his seat and stared outside the window. However, this time, his eyes weren't set on a melting reflection of himself in the rain, and his heart wasn't filled with grief from the loss of his mother and injury of his sister. No, Lelouch vi Britannia had mourned enough and instead, focused himself on the present, which is why he now found himself to be the only passenger on a private jet headed straight for Japan.

Outside his window was a long stretch of white, much like a blank piece of paper. The jet flew over the arctic circle as it navigated towards its destination. 6 more hours left. Despite the emptiness of the ice, Lelouch found solace in painting a picture on the canvas with his mind. Light brown hair that just reached her chin flowed freely down her face. She had a smile, not the maniacal grins of his father, nor was it the smirks that were often plastered onto Schneizel's face after a victory. Her smile was different, gentle, peaceful. Just looking at it would make anyone feel at ease. It was warm, comforting. And then her eyes. Large lavender orbs that shimmered with happiness, innocence, and even curiosity when she picked up Lelouch's King. Her eyes. The eyes that could display every emotion she was feeling. The eyes that had eased his upset spirit when he had lost. ...The eyes that had yet to open.

Lelouch turned away from the window and wiped his eyes, trying to erase both the image that was burned into his mind, and the tears that began streaming from his eyes. It was a wake up call that brought the young prince back into reality. _'Don't forget why you're doing this.'_ Indeed, Lelouch was prepared to make any sacrifice if it meant protecting his sister, yet he knew he had left her in good hands. He buried his face in his hands as he recalled his request to his sisters, the li Britannians. He almost laughed at how overly dramatic and almost desperate he had been.

* * *

Lelouch walked up to the li Britannian villa and took a deep breath. He had prepared a long and drawn out speech that was incredibly boring and not very convincing, which he then proceeded to rip into shreds. He was woefully unprepared for the meeting, and being unprepared was something he did not take well. He was incredibly agitated and the very thought of messing up perturbed him, but he could do nothing to remedy the situation. He could only try to calm down by reminding himself of why he was there, standing in front of the estate, and who he was there for. Despite his lack of preparation Lelouch was confident a heartfelt request could move the hearts of his sisters, and if he had to, he would get on his knees and beg. Steeling his nerves, Lelouch knocked on the door.

"Good evening, Prince Lelouch. The princesses are expecting you." One of the servants opened the door and gestured for Lelouch to enter. "They will be waiting for you in the dining hall."

As Lelouch walked through the halls of the li Britannian estate, he took his time to look at the pictures. Hanging on the wall were many photos of the second empress along with her daughters, ranging from the day Cornelia was born to the day Euphemia was born, and even some were of more recent times. The pictures wrenched Lelouch's heart as he recalled the photos that were still left hanging in the Aries villa, some of them lying there with broken frames. He could imagine his mother and sister in those very pictures. _'Too emotional.'_ He ripped his eyes from the photos and kept walking, never looking back at the smiles on the li Britannian's faces.

"Good evening, Lelouch." Cornelia was the first to acknowledge his presence as he walked into the room. The second princess sat on a chair with her sister as they finished the rest of their meals.

"Lelouch!" Upon seeing him, the third princess barreled towards him and tackled him with a bone-crushing hug. "I heard what happened! I'm sorry!"

"Ack! Euphy! Please, I'm fine. Ow...ow! You're hurting me." Euphy let go before apologizing. Who knew such a small girl could possess such a powerful grip. Either that, or Lelouch was simply that frail. Regardless, Euphy's hug rendered Lelouch a twitching mess as he rubbed his bruised arms.

"Euphemia, sit down. He came all the way here to talk, and you've almost killed him." Cornelia chuckled as Euphy's face turned red in embarassment.

"I already said I was sorry."

"No problem." Lelouch stretched his arms, feeling slightly better now that the pain had subsided.

"Brother, did you have dinner yet? Nelly and I just finished, and our cook's soup was absolutely wonderful!"

"Nelly? As in...the Loch Ness monster?" Lelouch tried to stifle his laughter but began snickering. Euphy's nickname for her sister was simply too funny, and Lelouch could barely contain himself. Luckily, he didn't need to as 'Nelly' seemed to grow angry at the reference to the mythological sea creature.

"Ugh, I should have never let you call me by that."

"Sorry sister."

"That's okay. Lelouch on the other hand, will pay for what he said." An evil glint appeared in her eyes, and Lelouch immediately became worried. How had he messed up this far? He hadn't even made his request and he had already made Cornelia furious. Was this a result of his failure to prepare beforehand? Nevertheless, he needed to be on Cornelia's good side, and fast, so he did the only thing he thought he could: he threw himself onto the ground.

"My apologies, sister! I didn't mean to offend you! I promise it will never happen again!" Cornelia's eyebrow rose in amusement. She had heard the nobles speak of Lelouch's interactions with the emperor. The boy had stood up to the man and held his ground, and begrudgingly won the respect of the emperor. How is it that the boy who could stand up to the most powerful man on the planet was reduced to a little boy begging on his knees, begging for forgiveness.

"Hey, hey. Lelouch, get up. You don't need to do that. I was only kidding." At her words, the prince snapped his head up.

"You're not?"

"No. Please, get up. You came all the way here, so make your request." Cornelia helped the boy up and sat him in the chair opposite to her. Euphy sat to her right. "Speak your mind."

"Well, that was embarrassing." Lelouch grinned sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head.

"I'll admit it was quite amusing, and it is good to know that you can still laugh and be happy given your circumstances, but unless you came here to play, I suggest you get on with what you wanted to say." Cornelia was ever the serious one. Straight to business. At her words, Lelouch immediately composed himself.

"Of course. I came here with a request. As you may know, I've already had an audience with father, and he has _generously_ agreed to provide me with the resources for an investigation on my mother's assassination. However, he wants me to help him acquire the Sakuradite under Japan beforehand."

"And?"

"And I'll have to leave Britannia to do so." Both girls were silent as they stared at him. Cornelia was the one to speak.

"And Nunnally?"

"That's where you come in. If you would please offer her a place in your estate, I would be in your debt."

"Ah, I see. You don't want her to go to Japan, do you? It's dangerous there, and from what I can tell, a war is going to break out very soon. It's dangerous, even for you."

"I know, but I must go for father commands it. While I'm gone, please watch out for my sister. She's handicapped. She can't walk, and the doctors say that the trauma is also keeping her from opening her eyes. For all intent and purposes, she's blind. Please. You're the only people I could entrust with my sister's life."

"...I'm sorry to hear of her condition. Of course we'll help. We are family, after all. Worry not, she will be safe in our care."

"Nunnally's coming over?"

"That's right, Euphemia."

"And she's here to stay?"

"Yes."

"Hooray!"

* * *

"Pr-...Prin-...Prince L-..." Lelouch cracked open a eye, only to be blinded by bright lights overhead.

"Wha-?"

"Prince Lelouch...Prince Lelouch!" Lelouch tried once more to open his eyes, and he was met by a shadowy figure. "Are you awake?"

"What? Oh, my apologies. I must have fallen asleep." Lelouch rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he stood up and stretched his legs. "Have we arrived in Japan?"

"We're about to. We've been cleared for landing. We'll be on the ground in around 10 minutes."

"Thank you...uh..." Lelouch looked at the man. He was relatively old with half of his hair already turning gray, or at least, what was left of his hair. The top of his head was completely balled, reflecting part of the light from the lamps overhead. A large bushy beard covered most of his face while a pair of glasses rested on his nose. Lelouch had seen this man before in the grand hall. Who he was, and what he did however, was a mystery. The prince only hoped this man wasn't a conceited aristocrat like the many that were in the hall at the time.

"Dr. Marcus Bernanke. PhD in Economics at U-Pen, and economic adviser to his Majesty. It's a pleasure to finally be able to speak with you in person. I was there when you played with Prince Schneizel into a stalemate. Quite an impressive game." Dr. Bernanke extended his hand. The man seemed friendly enough, and if he was Charles' economic adviser, then he must be quite the political powerhouse, however, there was also the possibility that Dr. Bernanke was there to keep an eye out for the emperor. Lelouch wouldn't put it past his father to keep tabs on all his children, especially those that are on his bad side. Nevertheless, he couldn't lose the opportunity to build some connections, so he grasped the man's hand and gave it a firm shake, or at least, as firm as a ten-year old boy could possibly give.

"Why are you here, Dr. Bernanke? Did my father send you?"

"If you mean if his Majesty sent me here to watch over you, then no. I volunteered to come to Japan to negotiate a fair deal with the Prime Minister. My job is to handle the trade itself. You, on the other hand, will work towards forming better relations between Britannia and Japan so that we may get a better deal. His Majesty wants one thing: Sakuradite, and he has sent us here to get it."

"Of course, doctor. I shall leave everything regarding the Sakuradite trade to you."

"Dr. Bernanke, Prince Lelouch, this is your captain speaking. We have begun our descent and will land in a few minutes. Please remain seated. Thank you for riding Royal Britannian."

"Doctor, I thought I was the only passenger on this ship." Lelouch looked at the man curiously.

"Ah, I didn't know you weren't informed. This plane made a stop in the Chinese Federation where I was negotiating with the Eunuchs. I had actually left the night you went to the Imperial Palace. I managed to convince the Chinese to give us more earth metals in exchange for some of our surplus food supply. Did you know there are people starving in the streets of China? At least in Pendragon..."

* * *

_**Dearest Brother,**_

_**I hope you are doing well in Japan. As I'm speaking to sister Cornelia for her to write this letter to you, you are probably sitting with a Japanese official, trying to negotiate the circumstances surrounding the Sakuradite. Thank you for intervening. I don't think I would be able to handle that much responsibility. Speaking of Cornelia, she and Euphy have been absolutely wonderful. They treat me perfectly. Euphy is always there to talk to have play with, and Cornelia is always watchful and protecting. I wish you could come back and experience this with me, but I know that you are there working so that I may have this, so I thank you again.**_

_**I think I've finally gotten past mother's death. She may have died, but I know that you're always there to help me, and our brothers and sisters will be there too. Schneizel and Clovis visited many times and they shared their new stories. Did you know that...**_

_**(This section is missing. History seems to have worn away the ink.)**_

_**...I know Clovis and Schneizel are eager to see you again. They too, wish you the best of luck. I suppose I've spoken enough. I can hear Cornelia rubbing her hand, so I suppose this will do. I wonder if she'll even write this down. I suppose you can tell me after you get back. I love you brother, and don't forget: no matter what you think, you always have family back here in Pendragon. Goodbye, Lelouch. I hope to hear from you soon.**_

_**Your sister always,**_

_**Nunnally vi Britannia.**_

_**Letter's to Lelouch #1 – Nunnally vi Britannia. Date: Unknown. Found in the Imperial Palace in Area 11. Current location: Pendragon Museum of History, Block 11 – Lelouch vi Britannia.**_

* * *

"A pleasure to meet you, Dr. Bernanke. And you too Prince Lelouch." Genbu Kururugi's stern face juxtaposed heavily with his words. Was his face always like that, or was his words hollow and meaningless? Nonetheless, Dr. Bernanke and Lelouch each shook hands with the Prime Minister out of formality.

"And you, Prime Minister Kururugi. Shall we go and discuss the logistics of our trade?" Genbu agreed and gestured for Marcus to follow him.

"Prince Lelouch, this is my son, Suzaku. He is your age and has begun dabbing in the political field. Perhaps you would like to talk with him." Lelouch mentally scoffed at being pushed to the sides. Evidently, the Prime Minister believed that children should not be playing in an adult world.

"Thank you, Mr. Kururugi." As both Bernanke and Kururugi left the hall, Lelouch turned to the boy who was sitting on the wooden chairs of the government building. The red carpeted floor reminded the prince of his father's throne room. How fitting, that people in positions of power simply love the color red. It was fitting for the amount of blood on their hands. "Suzaku."

"Lelouch."

"...You did not address me by my title."

"And here I thought you were a conceited little spoiled brat. I suppose I was right. Forgive me, your Highness." The two boys glared at each other.

"Now, now. I didn't say anything about it being wrong. I was simply making an observation. The way I see it is, we're on equal standing. I am the son of my country's ruler, and you are the son of yours. Therefore, we are on equal ground, no?" Lelouch extended a hand. He did not expect such hostility the moment he arrived. Perhaps forming positive relations would be more difficult that he expected. To his surprise and relief, Suzaku took the offering of peace.

"I suppose we are. Lelouch."

"Suzaku."

* * *

Temporary Residence of Lelouch vi Britannia,

One month later...

"God damn it." Marcus Bernanke gritted is teeth and rubbed his temples in an attempt to relieve his headache. "The bastards are more stubborn that I thought. Sorry, Prince Lelouch. I didn't meant to swear. Just pretend you didn't hear anything."

Lelouch sat on the dining table, slowly drinking his soup. Japanese cuisine was much different than Britannian cuisine. The first time Lelouch saw octopus he nearly gagged in disgust. The creature was still alive and squirming about on a counter full of ice. How the tenants of Japan ever learned to acquire a taste for _that_ was still beyond the prince's comprehension. Despite some of the stranger foods, Lelouch had found other foods quite delicious. The sushi here was exception compared to the ones in Britannia. Not even the royal chefs could best the Japanese when dealing with sushi. It was truly an interesting experience. Lelouch looked up from his soup.

"No harm done. I've seen my brothers Schneizel and Clovis curse much more before. Swearing is merely a form of expression. Say what you want. It won't offend me." Lelouch took another sip of his soup before continuing. "Doctor, what seems to have gotten you in a bind?"

"These Japanese are making outrageous deals for the Sakuradite. They even have to gall to ask for political and military requests. 'Military inaction' my ass. This is a business deal, money for money. Easy."

"So what does this mean for getting the Sakuradite?"

"It means we're not getting any. With the amount the Japanese are asking, we could purchase all of the Sakuradite the European Union outputs per year. It's absurd."

"Have you found no other way?"

"No. They simply won't budge anymore."

"Then what do we do?" Bernanke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. The man was clearly agitated.

"We can't do anything. We're done here. I've already scheduled a plane straight back to Pendragon."

"If you tell the emperor there is no way to negotiate a deal, then he will most likely declare war on Japan."

"Then that is his Majesty's decision."

"But the resistance in Japan is strong. They are so tenacious, in fact, that it took two Sakuradite bombs to take them out during the second war before they surrendered. Invading Japan would lead to millions of casualties on both sides."

"And here, I thought you were the type of person to sacrifice your pieces to win the game. Japan might fight back, but they are no match for Britannia's military. We will win."

"I am, but not for no good reason. Why sacrifice when you can make a better move?"

"Look, I'm sorry your Highness, but military strategy is not my forte. I'm an economist, and from my point of view, we're not getting anything out of this. One whole month, and nigh zero progress has been made. I'd rather go back home and focus on the domestic issues at hand. It's what I do best."

"...Of course. I understand, doctor. You've done the best you can, and nobody can ask for anything else. I appreciate the assistance you have given me this past month."

"It was a pleasure working with you, Prince Lelouch."

"Likewise, Dr. Bernanke."

* * *

Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo...

"Father! What if Britannia goes to war! Stop being so stubborn, and just give them a fair deal!" Suzaku screamed at his father across Genbu's office desk. Upon hearing the recent failure to reach an accord, Suzaku had marched straight into the Prime Minister's office and demanded a new compromise be made.

"Silence! I will _not_ surrender Japan to some foreigners who think they can walk in here and order us around. We are Japanese people! We are strong! We don't need to listen to the Britannians! As long as we continue to export Sakuradite, we'll soon have the favor of the Chinese Federation and other minor nations. Britannia wouldn't dare to attack both Japan and China."

"But what if they attack before an alliance is made?" At the moment, Japan and China were heavily reliant on each other for trade. Some have even speculated that Japan would join the Chinese Federation within a year. Japan's enormous export of Sakuradite supplied the Chinese with the resources needed to make high-end technological advancements. In return, the Chinese offered their large stores of other natural resources not found in Japan. It was an extremely prosperous trade that led to vastly improved relations between the two nations.

However, if Britannia was to attack Japan within the next month or so, the alliance between Japan and China would require China to send military aid, and even then, the Chinese military was heavy and cumbersome, making their mobilization incredibly slow. Britannia however, had their supposed "Knightmare Frames." Very few have actually been seen in battle, but from what other nations have experienced, these KMFs as they are called for short are incredibly potent and very mobile. With enough KMFs, Britannia could blitz any enemy before they could even respond.

"Stupid boy! Do you think their Knightmares are powerful enough to conquer the entire nation in a month? No! We will hold our ground, or die trying."

"How? How do you plan on stopping the millions of Britannians who are just waiting to stomp on Japanese soil? There are too many of them!"

"And there are more of us. Every Japanese man, woman, and child will fight! I have already asked the military to mobilize and begin drafting. We will keep the Britannians away from our homeland."

"Every...every person? No! You can't do that! They are the Japanese people! They aren't soldiers, they're farmers and merchants and craftsman! What are they going to do against Knightmares? What are they going to do when Britannia brings her strongest? You can't just throw away the people!"

"They are Japanese and it is their duty to fight for their homeland! We will defend it at all costs!"

"And what will be left _if_ we win? Nobody will be left to go home to! Everybody will be dead!"

Genbu Kururugi narrowed his eyes at the rebellious youth before him. Suzaku may have his heart in the right place, but he was naïve. Sometimes, sacrifices must be made, and if it meant arming many Japanese citizens to preserve their culture – their way of life – then perhaps it would be worth the sacrifice. Obviously, his son could not see the greater goal in mind.

"Then what do you think we should do, Suzaku? If you are so keen on keeping Japan alive then tell me, what would you do? Choose your words carefully."

Suzaku kept staring at his father, the figure that he once looked up to and adored. If only he could see that there was an easier solution.

"Just surrender. Give up. When Britannia comes, just let them in."

"What." Genbu's stare grew dark as it turned into a glare.

"Stop trying to resist. It's only going to be worse for the people. So many people are going to die. It's not worth it. If Britannia comes, we should just surrender."

_SLAP!_

Suzaku clutched the side of his face as he tumbled to the floor, a red throbbing mark slowly appearing on the side of his face. A tear threatened to fall from his face as he tightly closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. It wasn't the pain of getting slapped that hurt him the most. No, the pain that truly tore at Suzaku's heart was the look of fury on his father's face moments before he was hit. Suzaku now realized that negotiating with his father was pointless. The man was too set on 'defending Japan' that any talk of peaceful surrender would be treated with hostility. The man in front of Suzaku was not his father, no, his father loved Japan, but the man in front of him did not love Japan. The man in front loved the rivers, the soil, and the mountains of Japan, but not Japan herself. The Prime Minister had become so twisted that he had lost sight of the true Japan: the people.

"Get out." Genbu's voice was terrifyingly low and dangerous, so much so, that his words came out as a whisper. His jaw was locked tight and his eyes were lit with a burning vengeance that Suzaku thought must have originated from madness. Picking himself off the floor, Suzaku gave one final bow before leaving the room.

* * *

Temporary Residence of Lelouch vi Britannia...

"Lelouch, I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry." Suzaku sat on a chair while Lelouch merely leaned against the wall. Suzaku had ran all the way over to Lelouch's current residency from the Japanese Administration Building. That was 16 miles away. Lelouch wasn't sure if he should be more surprised by the sudden late night visit or by Suzaku's incredible physical ability. Sure the boy was tired, but Lelouch couldn't even run one before having to catch his breath. _'A strong mind makes up for a weak body. That's what I say.'_

"Why? You didn't do anything wrong, did you?" Suzaku sighed as his body slid along the smooth wood; he melted into the chair. A pained expression briefly flashed across his face.

"Not me. Lelouch, I'm sorry to ask this, but are we friends?"

"Strange question, but I'd say yes." Of course they were friends. Their relationship in the beginning may have gotten off on a bad foot, that is true, but their misconceptions about each other were easily cleared up and they found each others' company increasingly entertaining and relaxing as time flew by. Lelouch may have seemed like a conceited prick beforehand, but that was merely because of his status as a prince. It was expected, really, and Suzaku could tell he seemed much better than some of the other princes and princesses. They both shared a few laughs at the expense of some of Lelouch's older siblings.

Perhaps the moment when Suzaku knew what kind of person Lelouch was was during the beginning of Lelouch's second week in Japan. The prince had left his residence and gone out to tour Tokyo with Suzaku as his guide. Only very few people knew of either of them. Suzaku's existence was a secret from the public. People knew Genbu Kururugi had a son, but nobody knew who he actually was, or what he looked like. It was a mystery with an answer that everyone wanted to know, but nobody was willing to actually find out. Intruding on the Prime Minister's private life was strictly forbidden and any sort of intrusion on the Kururugi residence was grounds for incarceration.

Likewise, Lelouch was a mystery to the public. As an ambassador of Britannia, most people expected an old man with hundred of guards, working towards the benefit of the Britannian Empire. Who would have known that the real ambassador was a ten year old boy. Other than his royal attire, which he had discarded for the occasion, Lelouch looked like any other boy on the streets. As they walked side by side, the pair looked like ordinary schoolboys wandering the streets of Tokyo. Some caring adults actually went so far as to tell them to go back home to their mothers and fathers. How ironic.

During their walk, they had encountered a another pair who was walking towards them.

"Milly?"

* * *

Ashford Academy, 2nd week of Lelouch's stay

Despite the relatively large student population of Ashford Academy, most of its students had already left the campus to be with their families for the upcoming winter holidays. School didn't continue until after the new year. With the lack of tenants, Ashford Academy was almost spooky. Its large towers and enormous buildings took up such a large portion of the land that the emptiness gave the campus an eerie abandoned feel. Of course, the land was nicely kept, and the fallen leaves were all raked away leaving clear, bright green grass stretching on and on. It was a beautiful place, but hollow. There was no life in Ashford's halls, or at least there were none until four people walked through those very halls and into the superintendent's office.

"Prince Lelouch. It's so good to finally see you. I hope you're okay. I offer you my condolence." Reuben K. Ashford bowed gracefully before sitting down in his office chair.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry about what happened." Milly Ashford leaped onto the large wooden desk in the center of the room.

"There's nothing to apologize for, but thank you for the sentiment. It warms my heart to know that there are still friends who can remember my mother." Both Lelouch and Suzaku pulled up two chairs, and the four of them huddled together under the bright fluorescent lamps of Reuben's office. "I'm glad we brought this conversation out of the public. I don't think they even know me yet."

"Ha. And let's hope they never do. You're still just a child, and already an ambassador for his Majesty? Either his Majesty has gone insane or he has very high expectations. Why are you here?"

"I was sent to acquire the Sakuradite mines beneath our very feet."

"Ah, trade. Money is what makes the world go round, after all. You must be Lelouch's friend, because you certainly don't look like a servant. My apologies. Neither my daughter nor I have seen the prince in quite a long time, so we have much to talk about. My name is Reuben Ashford, and this is my daughter Milly." Reuben extended at hand out at Suzaku who looked at Lelouch. The prince smiled and nodded. Suzaku shook his hand.

"Suzaku."

"Nice to mee you."

"So, Reuben, what brings you to Japan? I thought all the nobles were still in Pendragon." Before speaking, Reuben looked at Lelouch, then at Suzaku, then back at Lelouch. He gave the prince a questioning glance. "He can hear anything."

"Ok, well, things have changed. The only reason we were nobles in the first place was because of your mother Marianne. After we heard she was assassinated, we feared we were going to lose our status unless you or Nunnally could uphold the name of the vi Britannians. With so little alliances and so many enemies, staying in Pendragon would have been a deathwish. I'm sorry if you think us cowards."

"No, I understand. My family was not the most popular in the royal family, so you made the right choice. I have much to do before I can uphold mother's legacy. But why Japan?"

"Simple. We had already built this academy a while back, so it was the perfect place to escape. We left the morning after her death."

The group continued to talk, sometimes about Ashford Academy, sometimes about Lelouch, sometimes about Milly, and even occasionally the conversation would be handed to Suzaku. The boy usually sat there and listened, sometimes feeling like he didn't belong, but the conversation was light and he eventually let up. It was almost night time when they said their farewells to the Ashfords. And as the two were on their way back to their respective residencies, Suzaku needed to have a question answered. It had been on his mind since the moment they arrived at the academy.

"Lelouch." Upon hearing his name, the prince turned around.

"Yes?"

"What was that?"

"What was what?" Lelouch eyed the other boy curiously with no clue as what Suzaku was referring to.

"That. The meeting with the Ashfords." Suzaku pointed back in the direction of the Academy.

"What do you mean? They're a family friend. Suzaku, did you not pay attention?"

"No! I mean, yes! I mean, no! Augh! I understand that part, but what about the other stuff?"

"Suzaku, you're not making any sense. What other stuff?"

"You know what I'm talking about." Suzaku got closer until they were close enough to hear in a whisper. "A lot of the things you said were really personal and/or political. Why'd you let me stay?"

Lelouch merely chuckled.

"Think about it like this. Out of all the people here, I trust you the most. Dr. Bernanke is a great man, but he works for my father. I don't know what his agenda is. He says it's to negotiate the trade agreement, but I have a feeling he's also there to observe me. In a case, he's an extension of my father. Besides the doctor, you're the only other person, except now maybe the Ashfords, but I didn't know they were here until now. This is a token of good faith. Do not abuse it."

"...You're trusting me? After what I said to you the first time we met?"

"Ha. Please, your words meant nothing to me."

"Wow, way to hurt my feelings."

"Did I really?"

"No." The two shared a laugh.

"Friends?"

"...Yeah, friends."

* * *

Lelouch's words snapped Suzaku out of his flashback. _'Whoa, that was vivid.'_

"Suzaku, are you listening?" The son of the prime minister turned to look at Lelouch.

"What?"

"Are you okay? Something on your mind?"

"No, no. Just remembering that meeting with the Ashfords."

"...Wow. You're only ten and you're setting your sights on Milly?"

"What?! No! Shut up Lelouch." The prince couldn't hold back his laughter as Suzaku's face went beet red in embarassement. "Let's get back to the topic at hand."

"Oh really? Is that so? Then please bring us back to the topic." Lelouch stifled another laugh as Suzaku tried to recall the conversation.

"...Lelouch, what were we talking about again." Once again, the prince burst out into fits of laughter.

"You – Haha. You were – Hahaha. Sorry." Lelouch took a deep breath before calming himself. "You were apologizing for something."

Instantly, Suzaku's face turned completely serious, his eyes turning from bewildered and confused to sharp and dark. Seeing the sudden change in mood, Lelouch composed himself.

"Right. So...where am I going to begin?"

"You could start off by telling me what you did."

"I didn't do anything... I'm apologizing on behalf of my father."

"Your father? What has he done?" Lelouch stopped leaning against the wall, and instead, focused intently on the boy sitting next to him. Had Genbu done something to ruin relations between Britannia and Japan? What could have happened that Suzaku had to apologize personally?

"He...he has begun mobilizing the army." Suzaku looked at Lelouch directly in the eye. "There are no more negotiations. He's preparing for war."

* * *

Imperial Palace at Pendragon, Office of the Prime Minister...

_Beep. "Prince Schneizel?" _The speaker on the phone line cracked as the voice went through. Schneizel pulled his eyes off of Bernanke's report. The man had just arrived back in Pendragon this morning and turned in the report to his Majesty. It was safe to say that the report was incredibly negative and when his Majesty read it, he went absolutely ballistic. Schneizel pinched the bridge of his nose at the headache he received from the emperor's outrage.

"Yes, Margaret?" His secretary was told not to bother him unless something incredibly important came up. As newly instated Prime Minister, Schneizel had to filter his personal time for the most important of things. Everything else would be sent to his minions. If his secretary was calling him now, then the call must be important.

_Beep. "I have Prince Lelouch on the line. He has requested an immediate audience with you." _Ah, so it was Lelouch. If the boy had anything to say, then it must have been important. After all, Lelouch was perhaps the only other person Schneizel could truly respect, next to Cornelia and her military prowess. If Lelouch was calling, then it must mean something is important is occurring in Japan, and if Dr. Bernanke's report was any indication, the negotiations proved to be fruitless.

"Patch him through."

"_Schneizel?"_ Lelouch's voice came across from the receiver. His voice was shaky, and strained. He was distressed.

"Lelouch? You sound like you're having a hard time. Judging by the hands on my watch, I should be around...12 in the morning in Japan. Go to sleep. The instant you've been left without supervision, you're already damaging your health. You're a kid. Go to bed." Schneizel focused back onto Bernanke's paper. Perhaps speaking with Lelouch would get him through the report faster.

"_Ha. I wish I could, but we've got bigger problems on our hands."_

"What do you mean?"

"_Have you read Bernanke's report?"_

"It's in front of me right now."

"_Then you know that negotiations are down the drain, yes?"_

"Unfortunately, yes. I do. Father already knows and he's outraged."

"_Then has he given an ultimatum? Are we going to war?"_

"No, not yet. His Majesty has yet to declare war outright, but I'm sure he's considering it."

"_If that's the case, then we should attack. Now."_

"What? Explain."

"_Japan has already begun mobilizing their forces. Their navy is already en route to blockade all of their ports. They're arming the civilians too."_

"...Dear lord. Then that means every moment we waste, Japan gets stronger and stronger."

"_Exactly. If we're going to attack, we'd better do it now, and fast. Otherwise, a lot more people are going to die."_

"You're right. Once this call ends, I'll go seek an audience immediately. You, on the other hand, should get out of your residence. If Britannia and Japan go to war, they're going to be looking for you."

"_Don't worry about me. The public doesn't know who I am at all, and I'm already in good hands."_

"May I ask, who's hands exactly?"

"_The Ashfords."_

"Ah, very well. Thank you for the information. I shall inform father, and when I do, Britannia will most likely declare war on Japan right then and there. No waiting, no more preparations. We're going to send an invasion force right onto their shores."

"_Sounds like a plan."_

"Then you should be careful, okay? You might be the boy who played me to a stalemate, but you're a little child no less. Stay safe, brother."

"_Of course. Goodbye, or as the Japanese say it: Sayonara, Schneizel."_

* * *

_**Nightmares.**_

_**That is what they are.**_

_**Nightmares.**_

_**They came at us **_

_**Fast as the wind**_

_**And light as a feather.**_

_**Immovable like a mountain**_

_**With strength like a waterfall.**_

_**And all we could see**_

_**Was the flash of their muzzles,**_

_**And all we could hear**_

_**Was the sound of their barrels,**_

_**And all we could feel**_

_**Was the steel of their bullets,**_

_**And all we could taste**_

_**Was the blood of our brothers,**_

_**And all we could smell**_

_**Was the scent of the dead.**_

_**Men encased in steel:**_

_**Knights.**_

_**Men faster than bullets:**_

_**Mares.**_

_**Knightmares.**_

_**That is what they are.**_

_**Knightmares.**_

_**-A Nightmare of Knightmares by Fuji Okawari. War veteran of the Invasion of Japan.**_

* * *

"Good evening, Britannia. This is a special report from yours truly, the Britannian Broadcasting Corporation. Two days ago, his Majesty Charles zi Britannia declared war on the nation of Japan. His motive? Unknown. However, many speculate that the emperor the reason for this invasion is the large quanitity of Sakuradite known to be beneath Japan. For those of you that are unfamiliar with this material, Sakuradite is an extremely useful metal that is used in our technology. It is has scientific capabilities that are truly revolutionary, and the harnessing of Sakuradite has led to many technological breakthroughs. The following is a clip by the chairman of the Research and Development department at Pendragon, Neil Asplund, and his thoughts regarding the war.

'The Japanese have a monopoly in the Sakuradite business. Sure, the European Union and the Chinese Federation have some, but underneath Japanese soil is the largest network of Sakuradite this world has ever seen. It has the capability of increasing the speed of our machines. We are making faster computers, more efficient engines, and cheaper appliances. Sakuradite is becoming the future. When Japan refused to properly negotiate with us, they were denying Britannia Sakuradite, thereby denying Britannia her future! Every second we are not spending on Sakuradite technology is a second we are wasting. So I say, to hell with Japan! If they believe they can stop Britannia from claiming her own future, then they are fools! Britannia stops for nobody! So I say, fight! Fight and claim what is inherently ours! For the future! For Britannia!'

* * *

Prime Minister's Office, Emergency Japanese Headquarters

Two weeks later...

"Kururugi-sama, the Britannian navy has completely decimated the Third Fleet in the Pacific. They're already trying to push into Tokyo."

"Shit." Genbu cursed as he marked a red "X" to the east of Japan, in the Pacific Ocean. The Third Fleet had been their blockade, trying to keep the Britannian ships from every entering Japanese territory. On the sea, the Britannians couldn't use their legendary Knightmares, so it was the best opportunity to halt their advance. It had seemed like that plan had failed, however, it did buy Japan some much needed time to organize. "Okay. Pull back the First and Second Fleets. There's no point in trying to push back the Britannians when there's a gaping hole in our defenses."

The Prime Minister's administration building had turned into an emergency headquarters. When Britannia declared war, Japan was still in the process of mobilizing. Why the Brits decided to invade so soon was anybody's guess. Perhaps they were just as fed up with negotiations, and decided to negotiate in a way more familiar to the Britannian people. Or perhaps there was a mole in Japan, but it was unlikely. Anti-Britannian sentiment was incredibly high as within the first few days of war, the Japanese people rioted and seized the Britannian Embassy. The eleventh prince was nowhere to be found. Perhaps he was the culprit.

Regardless, Japan needed to rally before the Britannian blitz broke through the last line of defense. Word had spread quickly and within days, every single military officer or adviser was in the Prime Minister's building. Papers were being thrown from desk to desk and orders were being shouted out at every moment. The lights and noise of the administration served to be a symbol for the people. Their leaders were working through the night to protect their homeland. Ironically, these same leaders would send the people in waves to deter the Britannian forces, but that didn't matter. What did matter was that the people were filled with hope and pride and like cornered rats, would strike viciously. When the time came, Genbu was sure that this militia would be able to halt the Britannian advance. 'As long as Japan still has people, Britannia would not take a single step closer to Tokyo.' This was their message to the people.

"How long have the Britannians been on our soil?"

"Two days."

"Two days?! How did we not get message of this sooner?"

"The only report we've received is from the locals. They didn't know what had happened. One night they're sleeping peacefully, and the next morning, the entire town was flooded with Britannian soldiers and Knightmares."

"Damn it. I didn't want to do this yet, but they leave me no choice. Call in the militia. Every man, woman, and child. Do _not_ let them step into Tokyo."

"Yes sir."

"Father!" Suzaku burst into the room. His eyes were watering as tears threatened to fall but he quickly rubbed his eyes with his sleeve. "You can't do this!"

"Suzaku?! What are you doing here? Get out!" Genbu pointed at two officers and ordered them to take his son out."Children do not belong here!"

"No! You can't!" Suzaku struggled against the two men that were holding him by the arms. "You can't! You can't just throw away the lives of the people!"

"Silence! Get him out of here, and keep him out. He doesn't understand that we are trying to save Japan here!"

Suzaku simply snapped.

"SHUT UP! You're the one who doesn't understand!" Suzaku ripped himself free of his restrainers before throwing himself at his father. The two landed on the carpet as Suzaku pulled up a fist and slammed it into his father's face. Before the punch landed, Genbu could see the pure hatred and fury in his son's eyes. They sought nothing but vengeance. "You're killing Japan! You're killing its people! You're the one who doesn't understand! It's you!"

Fortunately for Genbu, the boy only landed a few clean hits before he was taken and restrained once more. The two officers who were designated the job tackled the boy off the Prime Minister and forced him down, pinning him to the floor with his arms behind his back. Genbu clutched his face as he felt a trickle of blood came running out of his nose. If the blood and throbbing pain were any indication, his nose was broken.

"Get. Him. Out. Of. Here." Each word was laced with venom as Genbu glared at his rebellious son. "He will not step foot in this building until Japan is safe."

"You mean until Japan is dead!"

The two officers grabbed the boy by the arm and yanked him up, eliciting a small cry of pain from the boy. They dragged him outside, presumably, back to the Kururugi estate. And as Suzaku's screams and shouts faded into the distance, Genbu couldn't help but wonder if the boy's words were true. Was this the wrong move?

"Genbu-sama, let us handle the situation for now. You need to go to the hospital." One of the generals pointed to the large map laid across the table. "And once you come back, we have a war to win."

No, this was not the wrong move. This was the only move. The prime minister dabbed his nose once more and cringed at the jolt of pain. No, Suzaku was foolish and naïve. The boy didn't understand anything. He walked out of the building and into a car which would take him straight to the hospital. Hopefully, the doctors could fix his nose quickly; he had a war to win.

* * *

Ashford Academy...

"Suzaku? What the –," Lelouch backed from the door as Suzaku let himself in, pushing past the prince. His clothes were dirty and grimy, the once white cotton was covered in a brown cloud of dust. "What are you doing here?"

"I hit him." Suzaku's face twisted into a look of hatred, the scowl becoming more defined as he remembered the interaction with his father.

"Hit who?" Lelouch closed the door to the Ashford Academy attic. After the call to Schneizel, Lelouch had quickly packed what little belongings he had brought and moved out of his building. He moved to Ashford Academy and requested asylum in the school's walls. It was a good idea, really. None of the Japanese knew that the Ashfords were Britannian nobility, and nobody would think the Britannian ambassador was hiding in the middle of a school. They didn't know who he was, and now they don't even know where to find him. It might have been unnecessary, barricading himself for the time being, but Lelouch took no chances. If he was caught, it would mean the end of everything he had worked for, and everything he was working for. If he were caught by the Japanese, he would be used as hostage against the emperor, and Charles the _loving _father, would proceed to let his son die as he waged war against Japan. The gain of the world's most major Sakuradite mine, or the life of a young Britannian prince who had next to nothing to his name. The choice was easy.

This was why he now found himself standing in the dusty old attic of Ashford Academy, with Suzaku sitting on his bed staring a hole into the floorboards.

"My_ father._" Suzaku spat out those words as if they were poison in his mouth. In a sense, they were.

"You what?! Why would you do such a thing?" Lelouch looked at his friend incredulously. From what he had seen, Suzaku had always held the man in high regard, and despite their differences, that man was still Suzaku's father. If Lelouch had the gall to deliver a bone-breaking fist to the emperor's face, he would be executed before he could even draw back his hand for another.

"He wanted to sacrifice the people! He wanted to throw them at your army, wave after wave, and pray that it will be enough time for the Chinese to join in the fight. He thinks his idea will protect Japan, when he's actually just throwing the nation away! Tell me, Lelouch, what would Britannia be without Britannians?"

"...Nothing. A king is as strong as his subjects." Lelouch walked over to the chessboard sitting on the table. Unlike the rest of the room, the wood was smooth and polished giving it a shining glow as it reflected the few lamps overhead. He went to the black side and took away all the pieces, leaving one King against the white army. "He might be the strongest piece on the board, but only if he stands in line with his men. A king, standing alone, is not a king at all."

In just five moves, Lelouch had captured the black King.

"That's what I told him, but he wouldn't listen. He's adamant about this."

"And what would you do instead?"

"I want to just surrender. When Britannia set its eyes on us, we had been doomed. Resisting the inevitable is a waste of time and a waste of our people. Father said he wanted to preserve the culture of Japan, so let it be preserved in the people. We might become part of the Britannian empire, but in each of our hearts lies the Japanese spirit. As long as we keep together, then Japan will live on."

"...You speak of treason."

"No, I speak of justice. My father betrayed this country the instant he called for the militia."

"Then why are you here? Why have you come to tell me this." And Suzaku only looked up at Lelouch, the scowl disappeared as his expression was replaced by one of solemnity. His face relaxed until it looked like he almost wanted to cry, but in his eyes was a fire – a burning desire – to do what he thought was right. And Lelouch could feel the dread in the boy's voice, and before Suzaku even spoke, Lelouch knew what he wanted.

* * *

Sergeant Daisuke "Deadeye" Watanabe

His Majesty's Marksmen, 2nd Regiment.

Status: Relieved of duty

Date of Birth: 1/7/1980

Race: Britannian-born Japanese

Height: 177 cm

Weight: 63.5 kg

Eye color: Brown

Number of missions assigned: 73

Number of successful missions: 73

Number of failed missions: 0

Number of confirmed kills: 73

Reason for Incarceration: Disobeying military authority.

Reason for Parole: Government proposition.

Mission Pending...

* * *

Suzaku sat in the back of one of the long line of cars passing by. Normally, he would ride in the same car as his father, but given the prior circumstances, Suzaku was forced to sit alone in the back, staring out the window. There were cars in front of him, and cars behind him. To the left and right were crowds of people, cheering for the Prime Minister and his council of generals and advisers. In one of these identical vehicles sat the Prime Minister.

He had thought about it for days. Even after Lelouch agreed, which took quite a bit of persuading, Suzaku still felt uneasy about the entire ordeal. His hands trembled at the very thought but as he stared out the window, his worries abated. Through the tinted glass, Suzaku could see the faces of the Japanese people and it gave him strength, knowing that they were still there. With his mind set, and his heart steeled, Suzaku opened the window and gave everybody a wave.

"Kururugi-san. What are you doing? You can't open the window like that! You know that's dangerous!" The driver quickly rolled up the window but the deed had already been done. Suzaku sat back on his chair and closed his eyes, waiting...waiting...waiting...A muffled sound rang out as a single tear trickled down his cheek.

_BANG!_

* * *

The sergeant lay on the very tips of a Tokyo skyscraper, his barrel pointed directly at the long line of sleek black vehicles below. Eighteen. Eighteen identical vehicles slowly trudged through the crowds. What was it? A holiday? A festival? It mattered not. He was here to do a job, not ask questions. Staring through his sight, he went from car to car, aiming his reticule at the fidgeting shadows behind the tinted windows. Which one was it?

A sudden glint of light caught his eye, and he turned to look at the source. One of the windows had rolled down and a small little boy waved to the crowd with four fingers up. _Four._

One. Two. Three. Four. Watanabe targeted the shadow four cars in front of the boy's and as the shadow's head and his cross aligned, he took a deep breath and fired. One shot. One kill. The bullet traveled straight through the windows and into the passenger's head, splattering blood across the windows. The crowds screamed as they dispersed, fleeing from the assassination. The cars had all stopped moving.

Agents in suits rushed out of the vehicles. A few of them went to the dead body, and others went to secure a perimeter. Daisuke merely lay there, watching, until he was finally spotted. The men entered the building.

Pulling out a pistol, he sought to make his final stand. As the first agent scampered onto the rooftop, Daisuke fired, hitting the man directly in the head. The next two that came out pulled out their guns and started firing. Daisuke killed another man before a bullet ran straight his hand, knocking the gun over the edge of the roof. Daisuke dropped down to his knees and clutched his bleeding appendage, all while on the edge of the skyscraper.

He was surrounded.

"Who sent you?" When Daisuke remained silent, one of the men pushed a pistol to his head, threatening to kill him right then and there. He wasn't ready to die yet: he still had orders to finish. He continued to remain silent for a few more moments before he heard the low rumble of helicopter blades slicing through the air. Turning around, he could see his own reflection in the lens of a camera. When did that grin appear on his face? The agents shouted at the media to leave and even fired a few warning shots, but the helicopter stayed put. Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi was just assassinated, and the media was already swarming to get the best pictures and first article. Daisuke chose this time to speak.

"The people sent me." Despite the pain in his hand, he still continued to grin wildly as he stared directly into the camera.

"What are you talking about?"

"Genbu Kururugi was a traitor! He sold out Japan when he wanted us, the workers, to fight for him! He wanted us to die for him, but we, the Japanese people, have no reason to die yet! When Britannia takes over, they may strip us of our name and give us a number, but in our hearts, we will always be Japanese! We are a strong people who work side by side so that our beautiful nation may grow, but our leaders do not work alongside us! They work above us, and think us livestock ready to be used! We are not chickens, not cows, not horses, and not pigs. We are people!

Only a few decades ago, our beloved country fell into the greedy hands – hands that are the same as the ones that had still held us only hours ago. Back then, they asked my father and my mother to do as we have done. They asked them to take up arms so that they may repel the invaders, but let me ask you, have you forgotten?! Have you forgotten the millions and millions that have died because we would not surrender? Have you forgotten the many sacrificed because we would fight and fight and fight? Have you forgotten the day when the skies glowed purple as Sakuradite annihilated what was once Hiroshima, what was once Nagasaki? Have you forgotten this so soon?!

I have not forgotten, and that is why I killed him. Because he was leading us down a path that would forever destroy our nation. Let us not take up arms. Let not our children die, for they are the inheritors of Japan, and should not throw their lives away so carelessly. Right now, our people are fighting for the Prime Minister, forced to stand shoulder to shoulder until they die, but why must they die? Why must any of us lose our lives?

Our fight is pointless, so let us put down our guns. Let us stand shoulder to shoulder, not in the shadows of shells, but in the light of tomorrow. Because I promise you, that there _will_ be a tomorrow. There always will, because this is not the end! No, for Japan, this isn't even the beginning of the end. It is, however, the end of the beginning."

And with those final words, Daisuke Wanatabe turned the hearts of millions as he fell from the very top of Tokyo's towers.

_'Mission accomplished.'_

* * *

**A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed that chapter as much as I did. I'm not used to writing giant chapters like this, so tell me if it feels like it moved too fast or jumped too quickly between scenes. I really wanted to get this chapter done so I could write in the present scene, but of course, every story needs to be set up. I hope you liked the twist in the plot. Suzaku never kills Genbu directly. Instead, Britannia assassinates him and pretends the assassin is a Japanese man who disagreed with Genbu's policy, so he did the only thing he could to stop the prime minister: he killed him. As for how this affects Suzaku, we can only wait to find out.**

**Thanks for getting this far and sticking with me. I know it's only the second chapter but you guys honor me by reading. However, I'd love to see a more people leave a review. Leave a comment/constructive criticism below and let me know what you think. I'll catch you all next time!**


	3. Chapter 3: King's Gambit

**A/N: Hey everybody, I'm back. Thanks to all of those who reviewed last chapter. Just to answer a question...**  
**Yes, Lelouch will be a pilot in this fic. While he might not be some hotshot one-man-army like Suzaku, he'll be piloting and fighting alongside his army. **  
**So I'll have to apologize on the late update. I actually finished up to this point a while ago and didn't touch it during Thanksgiving. Then I continued to write and write until I wrote too much (if that's even possible). I thought ending it here would be a good spot, so sorry for the delay! Happy belated Thanksgiving!**

* * *

King's Disposition

Chapter 3: King's Gambit

"_And the captain just kept screaming. 'Onward, onward! Onward you dogs!' And we just kept marching on and on. We were all tired, our foot bled, but we kept marching onward. 4 hours of sleep, 2 hours of rest, and 18 hours of marching. We didn't know why. It was orders from above. 'Get to Tokyo. 4 days.' So we kept on going. There was a steady beat to it. _Thump, thump, thump._ The sound of the hundred Knightmares towering above us all marching in unison. _Thump, thump, thump._ It was scary, really. We all wondered what was going to happen, you know? _

"_We all wondered what the fighting would be like. I mean, I've been in war before, but to have to march this far in such a short amount of time got us all thinking. What was so important about Tokyo. Lord knows its the capital of Japan and those are always the most heavily defended, so every night, we planned. Sometimes us soldiers would look up and see the bright lights in the command center and we'd say to ourselves: what kind of battle would it be? To have all of the officers up in the middle of the night, to have to march for four days straight. I wasn't afraid, no, but there was this tension building inside me. Excitement, perhaps. Not excitement for war, heaven forbid anyone enjoy the roar of gunfire, but it was an excitement for curiosity. I needed to know what was so intriguing about place. But the only thing I could do was wait and sleep, so that's what I did. And then that fateful day came._

"_As we approached the city, we met little pockets of resistance. A few bands of people here or there, but nothing serious. In fact, these people were barely even fighting. We didn't know what had happened. They seemed so...hollow. All it took was one knightmare, and the Japanese just surrendered. No blood shed, no bullets fired, no cannons armed. When we finally arrived at the city, we were expecting heavy, heavy resistance. We prepped our weapons, checked them twice, and charged, the knightmare engines roaring as they sped across the roads. We ran to catch up and when we did, we met the first wall of Japanese civilians. It was strange though. They had no guns or weapons. All they did was make a crowd, a hollow crowd. Some were crying, and some were smiling, but most of them were standing there in silence, staring at us. _

_Then they did what none of us expected. They parted like the red sea. We had no clue why, but we just kept marching onward. Nobody spoke. We marched in pure silence until our entire regiment was sitting inside Tokyo. And then the crowd, all of the people, simply went home."_

_-Veterans Among Us: The Invasion of Japan. Aired on April 4, 2020._

* * *

Imperial Palace at Pendragon...

_Clap! Clap! Clap!_ As Lelouch walked through those towering doors once more, he no longer received cold stares or harsh whispers as he trailed across the red carpet. The looks on the nobles were not of spite, but of intrigue. This little boy, only 10 – entering 11 – years old, with next to nothing to his name, had essentially conquered all of Japan, now known as area eleven, in a few months. His name – Lelouch vi Britannia – was rising. No longer was he a simple boy born to a commoner mother. The person who walked through those doors was worthy of the name Britannia. At least, by the looks on his face, Charles zi Britannia had thought so.

"Congratulations Lelouch. You have done well." The prince knelt to the ground in front of his father.

"Thank you." Lelouch kept his head down as he stood up. He almost felt sick for having succeeded in his mission, but remained composed as he remembered what he came for.

"I ask you to bring me Sakuradite, and you bring me the entirety of the new area along with it." Charles smiled as he thought about the new Britannian province. Japan – Area Eleven – as they now called it, was an incredible addition to the Britannian empire. Now, Britannia was the main exporter of Sakuradite. With that monopoly, she controlled the most valuable resource on the planet, and thus, controlled the global trading market. Dr. Bernanke was thrilled.

"I found it convenient to do so. I took the opportunity when it best presented itself."

"Of course you did. You're a prince of Britannia." Charles stared at the boy in front of him. Perhaps Lelouch would be more useful than the emperor had originally imagined. The boy remained apathetic to Charles' approval. "Well then, I suppose it's time to get to business. You came here for the investigation of your deceased mother, no?"

"Yes, I did."

"Hm...granted. Two months, and you give me a name. That person will die, and your investigation will end. Is this fair?" Charles had planned enough head of time. Lelouch would not find out the truth of his mother's death. At least, not with this investigation. Lelouch seemed to ponder the deal for a moment before nodding his head. Even if the deal wasn't fair, if Lelouch didn't take it, then the emperor would just rescind his offer.

"It is." With that, Lelouch turned to leave but the emperor stopped him.

"And..." Upon hearing that word, Lelouch looked back at his father. What else was there? That was their deal. Sakuradite for an investigation. Nothing else. "You did bring me more than I had asked, so it is only fitting that you receive the same."

"Of course."

"Viceroy of Area 11." That single title caught the attention of everyone in the room. To be viceroy was to own a little kingdom. Within those borders, nobody had more power than the Viceroy other than the emperor himself. The Viceroy was a king, and like all good kings, it is expected that the viceroy keep his kingdom in order. Lelouch narrowed his eyes at his father's offer. While it sounded good – too good – he knew a challenge when one was presented. Yes, the emperor was challenging the boy to rule a nation, and not just any nation. Area eleven was the most recently conquered province and would certainly suffer from public discontent. Controlling it and bringing it under the folds of the empire would prove a daunting task: a task Lelouch was not thrilled to take. Or at least, not just yet.

"I thank you for your kindness, however, I must respectfully decline this offer." At the rejection, Charles' face warped into fury and gasps were heard from the nobles.

"You dare refuse a gift from your emperor! Ungrateful little vermin!"

"My apologies as I am truly grateful for what you are offering, but it is not within either of our best interests to do so. Jap – Area Eleven...knows what I look like. They might not have known _who_ I was, but they have seen me many times in public. If I were to take the viceroyship of Area Eleven, then words of rebellion would begin to spread. I was present in the Japan when Genbu Kururugi still maintained power, and now I, a prince of Britannia, would become viceroy after he has died. It would be far too convenient for conspiracy theorists arise and postulate the assassination of the Prime Minister to be my doing."

"...Very well. Your brother Clovis shall be given reign of the new area. However, do know that I am the emperor and I will hold no debts. If you happen to...take...the area away from your brother, I would have no objections."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Lelouch promptly strode out of the grand hall leaving many of theh aristocrats stunned. To decline an offering by the emperor was unheard of. Disobedience was grounds for execution, but Lelouch had seemingly got away unscathed. Perhaps it was his success that had given him a shield against his father's wrath. Perhaps it was his logic and intelligence. Whatever the reason, Charles zi Britannia did not seem mad at all.

"Bismarck."

"Yes, your Majesty?" The Knight of One walked up and knelt before his lord.

"You know what to do."

"At once."

* * *

Lelouch's Room...

Lelouch mindlessly tapped his pen on his desk as he scanned through another document. Code. Code. Code. Code. Code. Code. Code. Code.

What was this...code? Was it a password? Was it a puzzle? A riddle? Lelouch grumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to think of an answer to his predicament. The investigation team had done exactly what Lelouch told them to do. Looked for clues. Followed trails. Interrogated people. Everything that needed to be done was done and yet Lelouch was still sitting at his desk without a single lead. Every single lead had taken them back to the document that was sitting in Lelouch's hands. It was on an old floppy – the ones from decade past – and it simply sat in the corner of one of the assassins' associate's cabinet, acquiring cobwebs until Lelouch and his team picked it out of the abandoned building.

The document was an analysis on hijacking neurological pathways. It consisted of a full research report with the psychological effects of each experiment over the course of three months. It seemed like there were over a hundred candidates, each of them, not surviving past the preliminary stages of testing. The document states at the project was eventually terminated due to 'numerous unsuccessful trials.'

However, what was curious was not the topic on which the document was centered around. No, during those times, the human psyche was something many sought to discover and eventually control. The experiments were not all that surprising. What was surprising, was the number of times a 'code' was mentioned.

The research droned on and on about some code that was the source of these experiments. A code. Perhaps in due time, this code would reveal itself like the missing link; it would turn up like a missing jigsaw piece. Perhaps.

He placed the paper down and leaned back on his chair. What was this code, and how did it connect to his mother? He had to relax. He hadn't seen Nunnally in a while.

* * *

li Britannia Villa...

"It's good to finally hear you again, Nunnally."

"Lelouch!" Nunnally whipped her head around at the sound of her brother's voice. For the past few days, Euphy's voice seemed to shake as if she was trying to restrain her excitement. Even Cornelia seemed more upbeat than usual but neither of the sisters would divulge a single piece of information. It was supposed to be a surprise, and what a surprise it was. Her brother was back.

"Yes, it's me. How have you been? You know, I read every single one of your letters while I was in Japan."

"Really?"

"I did. Cornelia seems to have been a great help these past few months."

"Yes, she has. I'm sure you already know but they've been keeping me good company."

"I'll be sure to thank her."

"I know you will. So why are you here? Aren't you busy with the investigation?"

"What, I can't even visit my little sister anymore?" Nunnally seemed to giggle at the mock hurt in his voice.

"Of course you can visit, but something in your voice tells me it's more than just a visit."

"Ha. Clever. You're right, I'm here because I need to ask you something." The seriousness of his voice alerted her and she prepared herself for any question he might ask.

"Do you..." Lelouch paused. He must be trying to think of some way to word his request: an indication of his nervousness. Perhaps his question was more life-changing than she had expected.

"Do I what, brother?"

"Do you want to leave?"

"Leave the house?"

"Leave Pendragon." Pendragon. Capital city of the Britannian Empire and home to the imperial family. Nunnally had never once thought of stepping outside the city borders.

"But why?"

"...Nunnally...I don't know how to say this, but we are...unpopular amongst the nobles." Memories of the nobility giving her cold glares surfaced as she briefly shuddered. She didn't like the feeling, a feeling both of them knew all too well. "And we have very few allies."

Once again, she understood what he meant. Out of all of their brothers and sisters, only Clovis, Schneizel, Euphy and Cornelia cared for the vi Britannians at all. Some such as Odysseus or Guinevere simply ignored them, while others like Carine were rather hostile. The majority of her time was spent with the former five people, and even then, there were others who would rather see the vi Britannians dead than alive.

"If you want to leave Pendragon, where would we go?" They might have very few allies in Pendragon, but at least some existed. Who else was there outside of the palace walls?

"Area Eleven. Japan."

"Japan?"

"Milly and the Ashfords are there." So that was why he wanted to go to Japan. The new area was home to the Ashfords: the only nobility to show any loyalty to the vi Britannians. Their titles hinged on the vi Britannian name and with Marianne gone, the Ashfords were in a difficult spot staying in Pendragon. Moving out of the capital was the best idea at the time. At least with Lelouch's sudden approval from the Emperor, the Ashfords' title would be safe.

"I haven't seen Milly in a while." Before the death of their mother, Nunnally and Lelouch would often get visits from the Ashfords. Reuben would bring Milly along whenever he wanted to speak to the empress, and the children would spend their hours together playing and talking. After the unfortunate death of Marianne, Nunnally hadn't heard from the Ashfords at all. She hoped they were all right.

"I know. That's why I was wondering if you wanted to come. I won't force you if you don't want to go."

"Why can't you stay here in Pendragon?" In all honesty, Nunnally wanted to stay. It's where she grew up. She had people she knew and friends she could talk to. As a little child, she didn't want to leave her home.

"Once I'm done with this investigation, I'll need support. Staying here would only hinder that. Instead, I'll go to Japan where we at least have something and someone to work with. We have no one here."

"We have Cornelia, and Clovis, and Euphy and Schneizel. Are they not enough?"

"...No. For what I'm planning, they are not enough."

"And what are you planning?"

"...Revenge. For mother and our family. That's why I'm leading the investigation. I'll find the people who killed her and I'll make them pay for what they've done. Once I'm older, I'll take command of Japan, and that will springboard me up right into father's face. Then he'll have to help me find the perpetrators." While the hate was not directed towards her, Nunnally could hear and feel the spite in every single one of his words. Lelouch was hellbent on revenge.

"Stop it."

"What?"

"I said stop it. Stop doing this. You sound so angry I can hear it in your voice. Please, Lelouch. It's true, mother is dead, but please don't go. I'm afraid...afraid that something will happen to you too."

"Don't worry, Nunnally. I'll be safe."

"And we thought mother was safe too. She was one of the best knightmare pilots ever."

"...I'm not going to die, Nunnally. I promise you that, but I cannot stop. Father has given me this opportunity and I have to take it. It's something that I must do."

"And once you're done? What are you going to do afterward?"

"I'm going to keep going. 2 months for an investigation isn't enough time. We've made progress, but we've hit a wall. I told you, I'm planning on going to Japan and get some support. Make some connections. Then I'll come back and truly find out who the killers are." He sounded so determined it was almost scary. The words that were coming out of his mouth were full of hope and resolve yet his goal was wicked and vile.

"...I understand. Then I'm going to have to stay."

"What?!" She could hear the whip of air as he turned his head quickly, presumably in her direction. "What do you mean you're going to stay?"

"I can't go."

"Why not?"

"I can't tell you." This elicited another rather resounding 'What!' from her brother. He seemed shocked at the outright rejection. Evidently, he had expected her to agree.

"You can't be serious."

"But I am."

"What about Milly?"

"Give her my greetings."

"...You must be joking."

"I'm not." Silence descended upon the pair of siblings as she heard Lelouch run his fingers through his hair and sigh. While she did not want to leave her brother alone, Nunnally was sure this was the best course of action.

"Please. Don't make me beg. I will but _please_. Come with me to Area Eleven. It will be safer. It will be the two of us just like before. Don't leave me like this...please...don't." She heard a thud as Lelouch's knees hit the floor. His voice was shaking in fear and sadness. While he had left for a few months, every night he would sit in his bed thinking about his sister and how she was faring in their overturned world. To leave for a period of time that could stretch onto years was inconceivable.

"I can't. I'm sorry, Lelouch, but I want to stay. It's where I'm happy." An evident lie. Proceeded with silence.

"...Okay then. I value your happiness. If you wish to say, then so be it." Upon hearing those words, she almost wanted to cry. She almost wanted to go up to her brother and hug him close and keep him there and never leave him. She almost wanted to forget everything that had happened and instead, live whatever was left of her life with her brother. Almost. She kept herself from saying anything, and when she didn't answer, Lelouch continued. "I suppose I'll go now. I'll leave you in our sisters' care. Stay in touch. You know I love you."

"Of course."

"Goodbye, Nunnally."

"Goodbye, Lelouch." She was determined to stay, not because she had more friends here than in Japan; no she wouldn't stay for such a selfish reason such as that. Her brother meant more to her than anyone else in the world. It was this love for her brother that caused her to strive to become someone who was not a liability. She wanted to help her brother in any way she could, and going with him to Area Eleven to cling onto him and leech off of him every day would not help him in any way. No, she would do something much more. In that instant she decided to become a person who was respected by the nobility and the imperial family. Someone who was loved by the people of Britannia. She would support her brother's endeavors to the ends of the earth so that when he came home, home to Pendragon, he would come home to more than just an empty villa. He could come home to friends and family and allies who loved him because he was Lelouch vi Britannia, brother of Nunnally vi Britannia. She was determined to help him succeed. Tears threatened to fall from her face but she held her composure; she couldn't let her brother see her cry.

And had Lelouch only turned his head to look at his sister once more, he would have seen her eyelids flicker.

* * *

"I'm home! Nunnally, where are you?" Euphemia li Britannia stepped into the grand villa as she searched for her half-sister. She had just come home from her tutor and all she wanted to do was to run around with Nunnally and play and forget all of those complicated numbers and people. Learning was tiring. She would rather play instead, so she sought out to find the other girl. Strangely enough, Euphy found her sitting in her wheelchair across an open window, the cool air gently floating through the room.

"G-Good afternoon, E-Euphy." Her voice was shaky. Sensing something wrong, Euphy walked up to her, only to see the brief shimmer of the streaks of tears running down Nunnally's face. She had been crying.

"What? What's going on? Why are you crying?" Euphy instantly bent down to the little girl and started trying to wipe the tears off of her cheeks. Where were the servants? Couldn't they see the poor girl was in emotional distress?

"L-Lelouch came to visit."

"Oh, well that's good isn't it? I thought you wanted him to come visit."

"He said he wanted...wanted...he said he wanted to go to Japan." She forced those words out of her lips as she sniffled. Nunnally was doing her best to hold herself together.

"Oh." Euphy's mood seemed to drop into a solemn silence. She knew Nunnally couldn't stay forever, and she was sure that day would come. She just didn't expect it to be so soon. "When do you leave?"

"I'm not."

"Huh?" The li Britannian was genuinely confused. Wasn't Nunnally crying because she was going to have to leave the villa? Was she crying tears of joy, now that she could be with her brother again? Was the li Britannian hospitality not enough to satisfy her? Euphy had many questions buzzing around her head as she tried to understand what was causing the girl in front of her so much distress. In Euphy's eyes, everything seemed perfect.

"I'm staying here. In Pendragon. I'm staying with you and Cornelia and Schneizel and Clovis. I'm not leaving this city."

"Why? I thought you loved your brother." Euphy cringed as Nunnally began crying once more. Perhaps those were not the right words at the moment. "Sorry. I didn't mean it that way."

"It's okay. I know what you mean." Nunnally sniffled as she tried to calm herself down.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Nunnally only nodded. "Okay then."

"Euphy, we're kids."

"Yeah."

"What can we do?"

"We can play around. There isn't much for us to do until we get older."

"Right. But look at Lelouch. After mother died, he's been working so hard to try and make our lives better. Sometimes, I imagine Lelouch as old as Schneizel." Euphy giggled as she imagined an older Lelouch. She combined Schneizel's stature with Lelouch's face and created a funny looking person who looked like neither of the two who had composed it.

"And?"

"I feel useless. I feel like Lelouch needs to take care of me all the time and I don't like that. We're only kids, Euphy, but I'm also blind and I can't walk. I can't do anything. All I do is make it harder for Lelouch."

"No you don't! You're the reason why Lelouch is doing all these things in the first place!"

"Am I? Sometimes I want to be more than just that... I want to be able to take care of myself. I want to help other people. Oh, Euphy, what can I possibly do?"

Euphy looked at the little girl in front of her and smiled.

"You mean what can _we_ do."

* * *

Prime Minister's Office...

Two Months Later...

"Tell me, how goes the investigation?" The two princes, Schneizel and Lelouch, sat across from each other on glossy wooden chairs made of a dark mahogany, a battle of wits and tactics raging between them.

"Uneventful. All I have is a word, at least I suppose it's a word. Code. Heard of it?" Lelouch moved his King. Schneizel responded with his Knight. The White Prince's finger seemed to twitch at the word 'code' but Lelouch thought nothing of it. Schneizel's face remained impassive.

"Code? No. Not unless you go by dictionary definitions. What do you mean by code? A puzzle? A password?"

"I don't know, but that's where the trail died: at the word "code". The team has done all it could but these assassins hid themselves well. We traced it back all the way to a single document in an old floppy disc that mentioned something about a code." Lelouch continued his assault, trading a Bishop for a Knight.

"Unfortunate. Do you at least have a name to give to father?"

"Yes, but he's just a scapegoat. One of the assassin's associates. The actual killer is apparently already dead." White Queen attack. Black Rook block.

"What about Nunnally?" White Pawn advance. Threatens the Rook

"She wants to stay here. I don't know why, but I'll respect her wishes. I'm not going to force her to come to Japan when she would rather stay here. If staying in Pendragon will keep her happy, then so be it." Black Knight counterattack.

"She's in Cornelia's capable hands. She'll be fine." White Pawn captures Rook. "Clovis and I will visit her often. A promise between us."

"My thanks." Black Knight captures Pawn.

"Indeed." White Queen captures Knight.

"Game over." Black King captures Queen. Not enough pieces to checkmate.

"Again...You've gotten good. I might have to brush up."

"...Not good enough it seems...not good enough."

* * *

_Class of 2017_

_Name: Lelouch Lamperouge_

_Date of Birth: 12/5/2000_

_Gender: Male_

_Height: 5' 10"_

_Weight: 120 lb_

_Hair: Black_

_Eye: Violet_

_Race: Britannian_

_Relations:  
Mother: None_

_Father: None_

_Siblings: None_

_Residence: Ashford Academy Boy's Dormitories R-Wing Room 2_

_Date enrolled in Ashford Academy: 5/4/2010_

_Payment: National Britannian Full Scholarship_

_-School ID of Lelouch vi Britannia during his stay at Ashford Academy._

* * *

Seven Years Later...

"You're out of time." Ruben Ashford looked up from the board, surprised at the sudden beeping of the alarm. It seemed like his time had run out. Unfortunately, time had not been kind and the man's intellect was not what it once was.

"Huh. How unfortunate." He reached into his pocket and pulled out another wad of cash. Counting out another ten thousand, Ruben Ashford threw the stack onto the table where it lay next to the mound of cash he had been throwing out again and again. "Another ten minutes."

The nobleman only laughed and nodded, agreeing to the conditions. Ruben had called one of his substitutes over but until the new challenger got here, the old man would have to keep playing. And from the looks of it, the nobleman was going to be the clear victor. Giving Ruben more time just meant earning more money in the end.

It was then, the wooden double doors swung open as two boys strode in – if they could be called that. They were tall and lean, both wearing matching black and gold trimmed uniforms signaling their connection to Ruben and Ashford Academy. Perhaps these were the substitutes the old chairman was waiting on. Students. Upon further inspection, one of the students looked oddly familiar. It was as if he looked like...

_'Lelouch vi Britannia.'_

The eleventh prince had disappeared off of the face of the Earth ever since his game with Schneizel. Of course, those that were part of the Britannian inner circle would also know of Lelouch's underhand conquering of the new area. However, there have been no reports of anything regarding him since that incident. His name was rarely mentioned; on newspapers, on the news, on magazines. Lelouch vi Britannia had, for all intents and purposes, disappeared from the world. Yet here he stood in preparation for a game of chess.

"Prince Lelouch! Thank you for coming. You will have ten minutes to finish this game." Ruben stood up and offered the prince a seat. He sat down while his brown-haired companion stood with his back straight, staring intently at the board.

"Ten minutes Lelouch. Are you serious?"

"Are you doubting my expertise?" Lelouch smirked as he examined the board. Indeed, his position was a dire one and a crushing defeat would have ensued had he not intervened. The nobleman narrowed his eyes. He had heard of the Prince's genius level of intellect and strategy. Anyone who knew anything about chess would have heard of Lelouch vi Britannia's epic draw against his undefeated brother, Schneizel. The nobleman began to sweat. Perhaps the Prince might pull a victory, even in his predicament.

"Doubting? No, certainly not. I find it funny that you need so much time to finish this game." The brown-haired one snickered as Lelouch rolled his eyes.

"My apologies my Prince, but there is a game to be played. It's your move, and you have ten minutes." The nobleman went back to filing his nail after pushing down on Lelouch's clock. The hands began to tick away. Black King advance. Lelouch's hand came flying up, hitting the nobleman's clock. "A King? Interesting move, my liege. Shall I try and prove to you that making that move was a mistake?"

…

"Checkmate." Lelouch let go of his Rook as the nobleman stared in complete shock. The man looked at the clock. 4 minutes remaining.

"Impossible..." The man slumped in his chair, still wondering how exactly this boy managed to beat him. Prince, yes. Genius, yes. But with such an enormous handicap, winning was nigh impossible, yet here the eleventh prince sat, the clear victor.

"You played well, but I believe this," Lelouch scraped every single bill into an open brown bag before handing it to his companion, "is mine. We still have twenty minutes before we need to get to the next class. Come Suzaku, let's have a drink."

* * *

Ashford Academy Student Council Room...

"Lulu! Suzaku!" Shirley waved the papers in her hand before smacking both of the boys on the head with it. "Off gambling again?"

"Hey, hey, hey. We weren't gambling. We were...investing..." Suzaku laughed before sitting down on one of the chairs. The student council room was relatively large, however, most of the space was taken up by large mounds of paper. "Tell her, Lelouch."

"Of course. Just...investing...a large sum of money. That's all." The look on Shirley's agitated face was priceless as the two boys chuckled. Their ability to get under her skin was astounding.

"You know, if you just study hard you could get really good grades. Why are you keen on spending all of your time gambling away."

"Shirley, my grades are fine as they are. Don't worry about it." Lelouch sat down at his desk as he pointed to a stack of paper. "Suzaku. Do these."

"Augh, do I have to? You're the vice-president."

"And you're a member of the student council. Do your job." Suzaku reluctantly grabbed a stack of paper before sitting down and going through it. As the two boys went to work, Shirley rolled her eyes at their antics and walked over her own stack of paper. The day was slow. With another one of Milly's school festivals coming up, all of the other clubs were sending in file after file with a detailed explanation of their part in the event. While entertaining, Milly's festivals were always a nightmare in the administrative side of the student council.

The council room was relatively quiet. Nina, like always, had yet to say more than a few sentences. Rivalz, without Milly's presence, was hunched over a paper, slowly writing his name on the piece of paper. Evidently, his mind wasn't in the mood for paperwork. Suzaku, Shirley, and Lelouch all scribbled on their pages, going through one after another after another. The only person missing was the President herself.

"Where is the President, anyways?" Suzaku looked up from his paper, the quiet was rather irritating. Normally, Rivalz would be constantly pestering Miley while Shirley tried to stop him. It was an interesting sight if anything, and provided quality entertainment for the rest of the council. Rivalz was the first one to jump at anything revolving the president.

"Actually, she left a few minutes before you guys came in. She went to get some mail. Apparently Lelouch got another letter from his 'secret admirer'." Rivalz snickered as Shirley looked away, pouting. She didn't like the idea of someone else sending Lelouch letters, much less him actually taking the time to read said letters. "She'll be back in a few minutes."

A large knock on the door distracted all of them. It was Suzaku who muttered,

"Speak of the devil..."

"...and he shall appear! Good afternoon to you too, Suzaku. How's it going everybody? I'm back!" Milly pranced into the room, excited for the upcoming festival. She tossed Lelouch a parcel wrapped entirely in brown paper. "And this is from 'her'."

Lelouch nodded in thanks as he took the package and placed it under his desk. It was thin and rectangular and leaned perfectly against the side of the drawers. Milly turned on the TV to another broadcast of the recent terrorism in Area Eleven. There were multiple reports of vandalism and theft across the area as native resistance gradually increased over time. Some were growing discontent with the Britannian sovereignty over what was once Japan. Although these were all minor individual crimes, groups had formed together as revolutionaries spread the word of rebellion. These groups were responsible for a recent bombing of an administrative building in Osaka, killing 8 Britannians and 51 Elevens.

"This is a report on the recent terrorist attacks on Osaka."

"How sad. I heard the Viceroy is going to make a public service announcement today. Something about the Osaka bombings." Lelouch noted as he signed off yet another approval for increased funding. That was one of the benefits of gambling: money, and lots of it. The equestrian club would get their new saddles.

"Are you really interested in listening to him?" Rivalz grumbled, trying to imagine sitting through one of the Viceroy's speeches. Suzaku, Milly and Lelouch all quickly glanced at each other in understanding. 7 years. It had been seven years and not a single one of them had slipped their tongue, and not a single one of them was about to.

"Well, he is the viceroy after all. It might do us some good to listen."

"_To my imperial subjects and of course, to the many Elevens who cooperate with us. Do you not see? Right now, my heart is torn in half into a heart filled with sadness and a heart filled with rage! However, as ruler of Area Eleven, I will not allow terrorism of any kind! The reason being that the battle we fight is a righteous one! A righteous battle to protect the happiness of all. Now everyone, won't you join me in grieving for the eight who died in the line of duty for justice?"_

"Bah, I suppose we should." During the brief moment of silence, Lelouch signaled for Suzaku to meet in the attic. Suzaku then signaled for Milly. The girl nodded and put up five fingers: five minutes.

"Eh, this paperwork is almost done. I suppose I'll go open the package. If you need anything, let me know. I'll be in the attic like always." Lelouch picked up the brown parcel and tucked it under his arm before strolling out of the student council room. Entering his humble abode, the prince sat down on his single-person bed and ripped open the package, revealing a large envelope. He pulled out its contents. More letters from Nunnally.

As he briefly read through them, he couldn't help but smile at his sister's joy. While it's true, he had not seen her in years, she sent him photos and letters once every two weeks. And since his departure more than seven years ago, she had not missed a single letter. She recounted her days, and what she had learned. She had successfully mastered braille and was reading and educating herself at an astounding pace. She had even been invited to numerous parties and with her amiable personality, was invited again and again. She might have been disabled, and she might have been the daughter of a commoner, but many of the noblewomen saw her as a sweet little girl. Of course, being next to Euphy was always helpful. Over time, Nunnally had been associated more with the li Britannians than the vi Britannians, and as such, was treated by most like a li Britannian. Cross Euphy, and you cross Cornelia. Cross Nunnally, and you too would have to face the wrath of Cornelia, and many of the aristocrats liked to keep their titles.

It seemed like a glamorous life, however, Nunnally had never once let it get to her head. Every letter, she would sign her name as 'Nunnally vi Britannia, fourth princess of the Holy Britannian Empire and daughter of the Fifth Empress'. Not once did she forget who she was and for that, Lelouch was proud.

He peaked at the bottom of the letter and smiled as he saw those very same words were signed at the end. No, she would never forget who she was.

"You know, you're going to give Shirley ulcers if you keep on stressing her out like that." Suzaku strode in with Milly behind him. The two sat down on the wooden chairs lying about.

"Hehe. She'll be fine. It's funny to tease her." Milly chuckled as she recalled Shirley's beat red face as Lelouch received his parcel. "She'll figure out it's your sister sooner or later."

"Of course she would, because it's not like years have already passed." Suzaku rolled his eyes. The president could tease someone endlessly, and Suzaku knew that firsthand. But it was true, eventually, Shirley would figure out and they would all get a good laugh. But of course, Lelouch Lamperouge didn't have any siblings. However, Lelouch vi Britannia did.

"Yes well, Shirley is besides the point. There's a reason I called you here and it's not because I want to discuss Shirley's misunderstanding."

"Of course not, Lelouch. Straight onto business. Like usual." Milly smiled before propping her elbow on the tables. She checked her fingernails before motioning Lelouch to continue.

"I'm thinking about taking back Area Eleven." A single 'What!' resounded between Suzaku and Milly, both of whom were looking at Lelouch as if he had grown another head. Suzaku was the first to recover.

"Are you sure?" Evidently, Suzaku began getting excited. During the Britannian rule over Japan, many of the locals were oppressed, being quarantined in the ghettos while pure-blooded Britannians were given free reign over the rest of the land. The ghettos were overpopulated, so much so that there were many homeless living in the streets. Of course, Britannia's police never went in, so the area was relatively restless, filled with crime and violence. It was a terrible place to live in.

As a person who wanted nothing more than peace and equality for his people, Suzaku felt himself slowly die through the years. He had condemned his people to a life of hardship. Was his father right? Perhaps death was the better solution. He had pondered this thought for years until he realized the past was never going to change. The choices were already made, the cards already played. The only thing left to do was to keep moving forward, and forward he moved. Since then, Lelouch promised to remedy the Britannian oppression once he gained control over Area Eleven. It was a promise Suzaku waited on for years.

"Of course. Now is the time. While I'll admit, Clovis has done a relatively nice job at keeping this place under control, both you and I know that his policies are less than appealing. As you can see, the recent terrorists have gotten even bolder, and I'm afraid my dear brother will do something he might end up regretting."

"Well, do you think you can do better?"

"Hmph. I know I can."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Suzaku stood to leave but Lelouch put up a hand, signaling for the boy to calm down.

"Relax. We can't simply waltz into the Viceroy's Palace and demand the seat."

"Well why not? You're the rightful viceroy anyways..."

"And what do you think would happen if I did? Clovis has the backing of an army. He won't give up the throne so easily."

"Then what do you propose we do?" Milly decided to speak.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing. There's nothing we can do right now. Until the right opportunity presents itself, we will remain here as we always have." At that, Suzaku let out a groan. More waiting.

"Bah, I've waited seven years. I can wait a little longer."

Milly looked at Lelouch questioningly.

"What kind of opportunity are we talking about here?" A smirk slowly appeared on the prince's face.

"Terrorists."

* * *

Area Eleven Freeway...

"Nagata, what the hell! Drive faster!" Kallen looked at the side view mirrors of the truck, only to see three helicopters directly on their tail, their barrels glinting in the sun. "Watch out!"

A hail of bullet fire rained down onto the armored truck, denting the thick metal but never puncturing it.

"I can't shake them off! Kallen, you know what you need to do." Nagata swerved as the vehicle banked along the curve of the freeway.

"Ugh, fine. Just be careful." Kallen got out of the passenger seat and entered the back of the truck where a large spherical canister lay. _'This thing better be what we think it is...'_ She thought as she went to the far back of the truck where a single leather seat lay encased in metal.

"Nagata, now! Open the hatch!" Nagata slammed his fist on a button and a low rumbling could be heard as gears and chains turned, slowly opening the back of the truck. When the first glint of light poked through the dark hold of the truck, Kallen took her aim and fired. A single slash harken flew out of the tiny opening and struck one of the helicopters directly in the cockpit, causing it to explode moments after. As the hatch completely opened, she leaped out onto the freeway, her landspinners revving to life, encased in a suit of steel.

"Glasgow!" One of the other helicopters managed to scream out before another harken drove into it. Swinging it to the side, both helicopters collided in a ball of fire and steel as they fell to the ground.

"Good job, Kal-" Nagata couldn't finish his sentence as he made a sharp turn to the left, trying to dodge the Sutherland that had appeared in front of him. It seemed to have dropped out of the sky. "Whoa! Kallen, I need you here!"

"I'm on it!" The red Glasgow leaped forward to engage the Sutherland, both machines ringing as metal struck metal. Harken met harken and sparks flew as both pilots circled each other.

"Ha! That old Glasgow is nothing compared to this Sutherland, just like how an Eleven is nothing compared to the might of Britannia!" As if to prove his point, the pilot of the Sutherland dashed forward, stun tonfas at the ready.

"Shit, shit, shit!" Kallen's slash harken jammed as she slammed repeatedly on the button. She could see the enemy come closer and she began to panic. Luckily, her harken managed to fire but not before the tonfa made contact with her arm. In a flash of light followed by smoke, Kallen retreated with Nagata, the wires and hydraulics of her missing arm sparking behind her. Once the smoke cleared, the Sutherland looked at the two machines running far into the distance.

"Jeremiah, you're damaged." Another Knightmare slid next to the Sutherland whose right arm was barely hanging by a few wires.

"Yeah. I'll go back to base and report back to his Highness. The terrorists have entered Shinjuku ghetto."

* * *

"Currently, the terrorists have escaped into the Shinjuku Ghettos where they now plan to set off the chemical weapon. All Britannians living in the surrounding area are advised to leave and enter various shelters nearby. His Highness has ordered the royal guard to flush out the terrorists, and we are still waiting on the results. Please stay tuned for more updates on the terrorism in Area Eleven." The lady on the screen blurred before the original cartoon turned back on. However, the student council room remained empty, with three chairs all knocked down, their backs on the floor.

* * *

Shinjuku Ghetto...

Lelouch, Suzaku, and Milly all crept along the rubble of the ghettos with Suzaku and his knowledge of the ghetto's layout in the lead. Since the broadcast, the trio infiltrated the quarantined zone, albeit with ease. The guards weren't looking to keep people out, only to keep people in. With each step, the tunnels of the abandoned subway system echoed and moaned. If the terrorists were going to release poison gas into the ghettos, the best way would be through the subway. With the incredibly large and densely packed buildings, releasing a gas in the open would prove ineffective. The gas would spread upwards towards the sky, rather than expanding outwards. However, the subway systems would prove effective in funneling the gas through the base of the ghetto before letting it naturally flow from vents and stations, thereby increasing the spread of the poison.

"Shh. I think I hear something." Suzaku barely whispered but even then, his voice was amplified by the near silence of the railway. The trio stopped and listened, only to hear nothing but the heavy breathing of each other.

"There's nothing." Milly hushed before Suzaku put up a hand, silencing her. It was then, a soft voice carried through the tunnels. "Nevermind..."

"This way!" Suzaku sprinted towards the voice with Lelouch and Milly trailing behind him. It wasn't even a minute before he reached a rather open junction: a nexus where the many paths would cross before splitting off in many different directions. Upon entering the junction, Suzaku was tackled by a somebody as he and his attacker spiraled to the floor. "What the hell?"

The dim glow of the rail lights made it difficult to see, but Suzaku managed to grasp a fistful of hair. It was rather long, and he pulled.

"Augh!" His attacker let out a cry of pain as Suzaku suddenly stopped to register the high pitched voice. That wasn't a man's voice...

"A woman? What?" His only response was a fist to the face, definitely bruising but not breaking his jaw. "Ouch, that hurt!"

"Shut up, Britannian!" The girl continued to pummel at him with closed fists.

"I'm not Britannian! I'm Japanese!" At that, the fists stopped. "Jeez, you punch hard."

"You're Japanese? What are you doing down here?! Get out! It's dangerous!"

"Dangerous? Then why are _you_ here? Unless...you're a terrorist?" A hand suddenly covered his mouth as the girl hissed.

"Shh! We're not terrorists, we're the Japanese Resistance!"

"Oh...okay."

"Good, now go. You probably don't know but we just armed the bomb. Get out of here as fast as you can. You've got ten minutes." And with that, the girl ran away into the darkness. The sound of motors and servos moving was evident she had gotten into a Knightmare. The sound of landspinners grinding on the ground reverberated along the concrete walls as the machine disappeared into one of the tunnels. The junction was left empty, except for Suzaku who merely stood there. A minute later, Lelouch and Milly appeared.

"Hah. Suzaku. Stop. Running so fast." Lelouch took in a huge breath before sitting down on the tracks, leaning his back on a pillar. Milly followed his example.

"Heh. Sorry about that. I guess I kind of got caught up in the moment." Suzaku grinned sheepishly as the trio took a moment to rest in the darkness. "But we've got to go. The gas is armed."

"There is no gas."

"What? What do you mean there's no gas. The viceroy himself said so!" Milly stood up and turned to Lelouch.

"There's no gas. I talked to Clovis a few months back. He's working on a weapons project, yes, but it's not a chemical weapon."

"How do you know for sure?"

"He told me it was a weapon meant for subjugating the locals. It would bring them under the control of Britannia. How he's going to do that is something I do not know, however, it wouldn't make sense to poison his future subjects to death."

"Maybe it's a threat? Or an example? The execution of thousands is used to fuel the fear in the hearts of the millions more?"

"Possible, but unlikely. Clovis has sent all of his forces to retrieve this 'bomb.' If it truly is what we think it is, then don't you think the terrorists setting of the bomb in Shinjuku would actually be helping him? If that's the case, then he wouldn't have sent the royal guard or his regiment of Knightmares."

"Yeah, because it would have been much easier to blame the terrorists for setting off the bomb while also getting what he originally intended to do."

"Exactly. That's why whatever this is, it's not a gas."

"Then what is it...?" The three stared at the large spherical steel container. Suzaku pried his eyes away and flipped his phone open, the dim LED lights illuminating the rather nasty bruise on his face. Before Milly or Lelouch could comment on it, Suzaku looked up and closed the phone, putting it back into his pocket.

"We'll find out in six minutes..."

* * *

Viceroy's Palace...

"Your Highness, the terrorists have yet to be found. However, the truck supposedly carrying the bomb was found without anything in it. The bomb is missing." Clovis' knuckles turned white as he clenched the armrests of his golden chair. How dare the elevens cross him. To steal such a valuable weapon from right underneath their noses was unbecoming of Britannia's rule. He would rather die than let terrorists take control of his area.

"Go. Flush them out. I, Clovis la Britannia, Third Prince of the Empire, order you to destroy the Shinjuku Ghetto!"

"At once, your highness."

* * *

Shinjuku Subway...

"I hear some people coming. Get down." Lelouch stood up as Milly and Suzaku retreated back behind a subway pillar. "I'll handle them."

"Hands up! Make any sudden moves and we'll fire." A bright light shined in front of Lelouch's face, blinding him for a brief moment. "Who are you? You don't look like a terrorist."

"I'm not. My name is Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire." He stared at the guns pointed at him, expecting them to drop their guns. However, they never did.

"Ha. Haha! HAHA! Boys, did you hear what he just said? He just said he's a prince!" The soldiers began to laugh as Lelouch grimaced. Of course they weren't going to believe him. He wasn't in his royal garbs, nor was his name or face well known throughout the empire. He was the prince that disappeared only months after he shook the imperial world. "Now really. Impersonating a royal is a criminal offense."

"Hey, I think that's a schoolboy. I'm pretty sure that's their uniform." Several of the soldiers grunted in agreement.

"Well, well, well. A schoolboy pretending to be a prince. That's something we can't accept now, is it?" A series of 'nope' rang through the soldiers. "Heh. Kill him."

"Yes sir." The clicks of multiple rifles being readied caused Lelouch's heart to pound within in his chest as if it were trying to get in a few last beats before it was silenced forever. The world seemed to slow as the soldiers' fingers moved to fire.

_'No. Not today. I can't die today. I haven't found out who killed mother. I haven't seen Nunnally in years. I haven't played a game with Schneizel in ages. I still have that promise with Suzaku. I can't die today...' _

Behind him, the canister opened, illuminating the darkness as something landed on his back. While it wasn't heavy, whatever fell out of 'bomb' latched onto his back.

_"You appear to have a reason for living." A woman's voice. It was soft and airy as if it were merely the wind whispering in his ear._

_"I do."_

_"If I propose a deal, could you go on?"_

_"But of course. I must not die here."_

_"Then I propose a deal. In exchange for this power, you must agree to make my one wish come true."_

_"Just a single wish? Very well. As a prince of the empire, I shall grant you your wish."_

_"Then may the Power of the King condemn you to a life of solitude. Prepare yourself."_

_"Very well. Give to me what is inherently mine!"_

Time seemed to return as the whispers disappeared. He looked behind him and saw nothing on his back.

"Kill him." Lelouch spun around, looking at the officer who, for the second time, ordered his execution. And once again, the clicks of various rifles being armed alarmed him. But instead of his heart beating rapidly in expectation of his death, his heart slowed and calmed. There was no nervous jitter of fear. There was no mercy to be begged. In him, there was only the will to survive. And a single word appeared in his mind as if it were an answer to his troubles.

"Kneel."

Before the soldiers could finish pulling the trigger, they all fell to one knee with their heads bowed and their weapons on the ground. Many did not register their body moving and only stared at the wooden tracks beneath them.

"What the he –," one of the soldiers tried to speak.

"Silence," and the man fell quiet.

Lelouch walked up to the officer that had ordered his death and placed his foot on the man's head. It was now him who was shaking in fear. He who had, in a single instant, lost control of his entire body and bowed to the person before him.

"Rise." Every other soldier besides the officer rose, their weapons once again in their hands. However, their muzzles were no longer pointed at the prince.

"Who are you..." The officer managed to utter.

"I told you. I'm the prince. And soon, I'll be the King." Lelouch grinned as he raised one of his hands. Each and every soldier armed there weapons and for the third time the clicks of their rifles could be heard. This time, bullets would actually fly. "Fire."

A singe volley of steel splattered into the man's back as he fell forward, dead. Lelouch only looked at his new subordinates and laughed. He pointed down a random tunnel.

"Leave." The soldiers saluted before running down the path Lelouch had pointed them towards. He turned around as Milly and Suzaku appeared from behind the pillar. He gave them a smile before falling back, unconscious before he even hit the floor.

* * *

"_What was this? This _'Geass?'_"_

"_Well, from what we know and from what the legends say, Geass is a right bestowed upon those who were given the 'divine right of kings'. Now, one could compare that to the Mandate of Heaven in early dynastic China."_

"_It is said that those with Geass have special abilities. Ones that could change the hearts of armies or stop the arrow of time itself."_

"_Yes, that is what the legends say. However, we can easily call that a myth. There is no such thing as mind control, or stopping time. Physics proves that it simply cannot happen."_

"_So then the powers of Geass are a myth?"_

"_They are as mythical as Zeus' bolts of thunder. Lelouch vi Britannia is credited to having a Geass that would bestow undying loyalty in his subordinates. It is said that each word he spoke held such authority that those around him were compelled to follow his orders. Now, a supernatural reason is an obvious lie, but what we can infer is that Lelouch vi Britannia was a very persuasive man who could win the hearts of his subjects. There is no magic or supernatural power here. It is merely the power of words. That's what Geass is: it's merely an illusion."_

_-Documentary on The Powers of Geass: Magic or Myth? Aired on the History Channel on April 2, 2230._

* * *

**A/N: And that concludes chapter 3 of King's Disposition. I hope you've all enjoyed it and it seems like I've taken a liking to write long chapters. Expect chapters to be around this length from now on. Thank's for taking the time to read it. Please leave a comment/review below, and I'll see you all next time!**


	4. Chapter 4: A Fixed Game

**A/N: Fun chapter, fun chapter! This is the next installment of King's Disposition. It seems like I've been getting into the once every two weeks or so schedule, so that's what I'll keep it as for now.**

* * *

King's Disposition

Chapter 4: A Fixed Game

_Boy: Who are you, and to whose allegiance are you sworn?_

_Witch: Nothing and neither, for in darkness I was born._

_Boy: You must be undead for I saw you die, then perhaps you're a demon or a lich._

_Witch: I am neither of those, I will not lie, but I suppose you may call me a witch._

_Boy: A witch casts curses and seals and hexes_

_Witch: Then should you not keep me away from things that vexes?_

_Boy: What is it that you wish? Why have you come to me?_

_Witch: I have only one request: that you be the one to set me free._

_Boy: And in return? What do I get from accepting your deal?_

_Witch: I shall give you a power to make all men kneel._

_Boy: Then I accept your offer, let the whole world talk_

_Witch: Of how I am a witch, and you, warlock._

_-Of Divine Providence, Act I Scene iii., Written by Catherine Chen. Performed in the New Sydney Grand Opera House on October 4, 2110._

* * *

Viceroy's Palace R&D Hanger 6

"Earl Asplund." Clovis walked into the hanger of one of his newest weapons project. A seventh-generation Knightmare frame stood assembled and at the ready. A young man walked forward and bowed.

"Prince Clovis. So good to see you again. The Lancelot has been doing well, although a suitable pilot still remains not found."

"What of your current pilot?" The Prince pointed at a Britannian soldier donned in white and gold, no doubt the uniform of the Lancelot pilot. The soldier saluted his prince, and Clovis nodded in response.

"No, no, no. He won't do. Cecile give me the papers." A young woman walked up to the Earl and handed him a clipboard with all of the information on the Lancelot and its pilot. "Look. See this number?"

"Yes, I do." It read '36%' in big red letters. "What does it mean?"

"It means this pilot is unable to work the Lancelot past 36% of its maximum potential. It means the pilot cannot properly pilot the Lancelot! It means I can't get any good data!" The scientist cried out in frustration as he threw the clipboard back to his assistant. The woman caught it with great finesse.

"My apologies to your current predicament, but I need to know. Can he pilot the Lancelot?"

"No! He can't pull of any of the fluid maneuvers it's capable of!"

"But he can move it."

"Barely!"

"But he can."

"Yes. I suppose he could. Wh –," Lloyd could not finish his sentence as the Third Prince cut him off.

"Good. Get him in the frame. You deploy in 20 minutes."

"What! You can't be serious! He's not ready for deployment yet!" The Earl's face reddened as he considered the outcome. Worst case scenario, the pilot fails and the Lancelot is destroyed. God forbid the Lancelot is destroyed.

"I don't need him to single-handedly win me a war or anything. Just be there and look threatening. Pulling out a seventh-generation Knightmare would be something nobody would expect. It doesn't matter who the pilot is, because the terrorists think he's some god-powerful machine. Understand?"

"...Yes your highness. Cecile! Get that stupid pilot into the Lancelot. We're having our debut."

* * *

When Lelouch awoke, he was completely unaware of his surroundings. His eyes creaked open, only to see dim lights surrounding him. Groaning as he sat up, he looked around, only to realize he was still in the junction of the subway tunnels. As he tried to stand, a pair of hands steadied him as he rose to his feet.

"Careful, Lelouch. You took quite a fall there." Milly helped support the Prince as Lelouch tried to stand himself. While he managed to stand upright, his legs were wavering and he found it difficult to hold his balance.

"Ugh. What happened? How long was I out for?"

"About ten minutes. After you executed the officer and ordered the soldiers to all leave, you passed out. Landed straight onto the ground." Suzaku too came up to the prince and slung a long arm around his shoulders. Milly did the same and they stood up.

"What about the canister?"

"Uh, when you passed out, somebody came out of it. We didn't see clearly in the darkness, but he ran straight out of the tunnels." Suzaku pointed in another direction, evidently the one where the 'weapon' escaped.

"It was a _person?_ A living human being in that thing?" Lelouch couldn't grasp his head around what had happened. After he seemed to have taken control of the situation, the weapon that Clovis had been working on turned out to be a human being who simply stood up and left the scene.

"Uh, yeah. Let's not think about that right now. Let's just get you out of here. You can barely stand."

Both Milly and Suzaku hauled Lelouch over their shoulders and slowly brought him outside. As they made his way to the outskirts of the ghetto, a Knightmare stopped them.

"Halt. No one is to leave Shinjuku Ghetto without permission from his Highness, Prince Clovis." The voice over the speaker was definitely a woman. She pulled out her giant rifle and aimed it at the trio. Oh, how many muzzles were going to be pointed in their way? Lelouch tried to speak.

"I am Lel –," but was quickly cut off by Milly. The prince cast her a wary glance. She mouthed to him. 'Don't worry. I'll handle this.'

"Good evening, ma'am. My name is Milly Ashford, granddaughter of the noble Reuben Ashford." Milly grinned as she bowed to the mechanical giant before her. "And these are my friends. We just got caught up in this mess. We were only passing through. Please let us out."

"A nobleman's granddaughter?"

"That's right! Now if you don't let me out, grandpa's going to get really mad!" It was an easy threat to make. The nobility of Britannia were highly regarded and while royalty may be at the top of the social pyramid, nobility was one step underneath. Crossing a noble was social suicide, or at least for anybody under them. They were essentially immune to everything but the imperial family itself.

Viletta Nu looked at the girl through her screen, carefully thinking. Just because the girl claimed to have been a noble doesn't mean she truly was one. Unless a government issued identification was given, she was to assume the girl was a terrorist. However, this was a risk she was not willing to take.

"Okay then, Lady Ashford. Please take out your identification. I shall come out and check it accordingly." Viletta opened the cockpit of her Sutherland and stepped down, carefully walking towards the trio. The girl was rummaging through her pockets while the two boys were staring from afar. Viletta pressed her hand on her pistol that lay in its holster, just in case if she needed it.

"Here you go miss soldier. My ID." Milly handed to her a slim rectangular piece of plastic and Viletta carefully looked through each and every inch of it. It seemed to be an official identification, and her affiliation with the Ashford nobility was not a lie. Indeed, her name was titled 'Lady Milly Ashford': a true noblewoman.

"Very good, Lady Ashford. I apologize for the inconvenience. Prince Clovis has ordered us to stop any Elevens leaving the ghettos. In fact, a few of our Sutherlands are fighting the terrorists as we speak. You were lucky to have met me. Viletta Nu, Kni –." Before she could finish her sentence, a swift kick to the back of her head knocked her unconscious.

"Suzaku, what the hell!" Suzaku caught the woman before she fell and dusted himself off. He dodged Milly's hand as she went for a slap.

"Whoa, watch it there. Lelouch told me to do that."

"Lelouch! What are you doing? We were going to get out without any problems, and now you've just made it ten times worse!" Milly groaned in frustration as she tugged on her hair. Everything had been going like she wanted it to, and now Lelouch and Suzaku, the delinquent duo, came in and caused trouble.

"Milly, calm down. I did this for a reason. Now stay here with her and keep her safe. I'm commandeering the Knightmare."

"What? Lelouch, you can't be serious."

"Trust me." Lelouch entered the cockpit, leaving his two friends on the sides. He could hear Suzaku's shouting from behind the metal walls.

"Doesn't every Knightmare have a different identification code?" Each Knightmare was personally given to its pilot. Not a single pilot had the same code, and said code was necessary to pilot the individual frames. However, Lelouch only laughed as he punched in a few numbers and letters. The engine roared to life as Lelouch's voice rang out through the speaker.

"Ha. I'm a Prince of the empire, Suzaku. Do you really think I couldn't override this?" The Japanese boy only laughed as his friend moved the machine to a higher elevation. Whatever Lelouch was planning was beyond comprehension. At this point, both Suzaku and Milly learned to let Lelouch be when he was planning something. The two looked at each other, and then at the unconscious form of the soldier sprawled on the floor.

"Let's get her somewhere safe..."

* * *

"Shit. These guys are good." Kallen dodged another harken aimed for her head as she spun around and fired at the attacking Knightmare. The Sutherland dashed from side to side, dodging all of her bullets. Whoever this pilot was, he had been chasing her ever since their first engagement and as time passed, he was slowly gaining the advantage. His Sutherland could last longer and was slightly more mobile than the deteriorating and semi-functional frame that was the Glasgow. Before her attacker could press for any further advantage, a voice rang out through her cockpit.

"Listen to me. You need to to run. West entrance. Get out through the west entrance via the tracks."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Does it matter? You're losing the fight, and at this rate, reinforcements are going to swarm you within the minute. If you want to win, then get out of there now!" Suspicious as the voice might be, she knew whoever the voice was was right. Already, she could see the smoke trails of more Sutherlands rushing towards her. She needed to run.

Disengaging the fight, Kallen turned around and fled, dodging a spray of bullets from the rifle aimed where she was just standing. Reaching an overpass, she leaped onto the new road. Using the railway tracks as a directed path, she put her machine into full throttle as her landspinners cruised along the metal rails. As she moved at breakneck speeds, a small figure appeared on the tracks, slowly getting larger and larger. A train.

"Whoa! The train!" She pulled on her brakes and sparks flew as her spinners locked in place, causing her to slide metal on metal.

"No! Don't stop! Keep going. You need to stop that train right now."

"But they're on to me. They're still chasing me. I don't have time to stop a train!"

"Trust me. This train is the key to your victory." Kallen grumbled and let go of the brakes. The metal stopped grinding as she pushed her engines once more and ran right into the train, her single hand grasping the metal locomotive.

"Shit." The force of the impact knocked her back as the train began pushing against her Knightmare, however, the momentum she had accumulated on the tracks was enough. The train was stopping. At the same time, she heard a hail of gunfire behind her. "What was that?"

"I told you to trust me." She turned around, only to see two empty Sutherlands with their cockpits ejected. Their bodies were riddled with holes. "And now, we win."

"Hey, Kallen!" She whirled around, only to see Ohgi and the rest of the resistance running towards her.

"Ohgi?"

"Yeah. Did that voice tell you to come here too?"

"Yeah. The person said that this train would be our key to winning."

"Well then let's pry it open! We've got around twenty minutes before they catch us. Get to work!" Ohgi climbed onto the train and opened one of the hatches. The doors slowly opened and the resistance members shut their eyes at the sudden glare of the sun. "The hell is this?"

Avoiding the glare, Ohgi walked up and placed his hand on cold metal. He tried to speak but he was in shock. He managed to choke out a few words.

"Kallen...this...do you see?" He ran his hand along the smooth aluminum plating. Kallen's voice came over her speakers.

"Knightmares..."

* * *

"Prince Clovis! The terrorists seem to have gotten their hands on our newest shipment of Sutherlands! They were due to arrive today!"

"What! Impossible! There are literally hundreds of trains coming in and going out. Only one of them holds the shipment of Knightmares! Tell me, how is it that a few measly terrorists are able to get their dirty hands on our machines!" Clovis screamed with fury. This changes the entire game. Now that the terrorists were properly armed, crushing them would prove much more difficult. How much damage were these bugs going to do? "Where is Asplund? Has he deployed yet?"

"Yes sir. The Camelot team is already en route." At least the Lancelot should be able to handle these renegade Sutherlands. Perhaps once they see the white knight, the terrorists would think twice about attacking. After all, he was the Viceroy, the King of Area Eleven, and they were mere bugs who had learned how to bite.

* * *

"Whoa! What the f –." another cockpit ejected, sending its pilot flying across the battlefield.

"Hey, you! Voice! We've got trouble! We're getting creamed out here." One of the resistance members reported. It was team B. Lelouch sat in his commandeered Knightmare and stared at the screens in front of him. They had been doing well. One at a time, the resistance would push through various checkpoints before solidifying their position and pushing forward. So far, they've pushed through to the outskirts of the ghetto.

"What's the status?" He could hear the faint sounds of repeated gunfire over the radio.

"There's an enemy Knightmare. White and gold! Doesn't look like a Sutherland either." White and gold? Not a Sutherland?

"New model?"

"I guess. Whatever it is, it's scaring the shit out of us. It's just standing there, firing behind a bunch of Sutherlands."

"Then what's the problem? It's just another machine that we need to take out."

"That's the thing! We can't take it out!"

"What do you mean you can't take it out? Have you tried shooting at it?" Honestly, with the number of amateur pilots, Lelouch was surprised at the amount of progress they had made. It took them five minutes to even move their legs, and another ten to even hold a gun. He hadn't expected much, but to not even be able to fire at a stationary target was simply preposterous.

"God damn it, Matsuo's been hit! Of course we've tried shooting at it, but it's got some funky shield on it's arms! Our bullets bounce straight off!" Lelouch shared screens with the pilot and lo and behold, the white Knight was standing behind three Sutherlands with a rifle in its hand. Every time the resistance would shoot at it, it would activate its shields and protect itself. "What do we do?"

"Is it fast?"

"What?"

"The new Knightmare. Is it fast?"

"Not that we know of. Its moves are really sluggish and it was actually slower than the Sutherlands when it got here."

"Ok good, team B, just hold your position. I'll send reinforcements. I've got a plan." He cut off the link to the team and secured a channel with Kallen's unit. "Glasgow."

"Yes?"

"We need to assist team B. They're getting their asses kicked by a new Knightmare. It's slow, but it has shields in the front that seem impenetrable."

"Then how do we take it out?"

"Easy. From behind."

* * *

Kallen stood behind a building and waited for her 'partner' to arrive. She looked around the corner and saw the white machine, firing and then shielding. Firing and then shielding. It was a repeating pattern that took out many of her comrades. She didn't know how long she was looking, but by the time she turned around, the other Sutherland had arrived.

"On three." That voice...

"Wait, you're our leader?" He did not reply. He only held up three fingers. "One, two."

"Wait what!" Why was he charging into the battle if he was their leader? What was he thinking?

"Three!" The Knightmare rounded the corner and leaped forward, bullets spraying at the flank of the Britannian machines. One of the Sutherlands instantly exploded while the other two managed to eject before their frames hit the floor.

"Oh shit." She followed and rushed out, letting her slash harkens fly at the white machine. The new model turned around and quickly raised its shields, blocking the harkens from piercing the armor, but the sudden attack caused it to lose balance. The white machine tumbled to the ground. She dashed to finish it but was stopped by the voice's arm.

"Stop. Let him eject." In a situation like this, executing a downed soldier was considered underhanded and improper. She found it strange that he would abide by such rules, but did not complain. The duo waited for a brief moment, but the cockpit never ejected. Instead, the hatch opened as the pilot of the white machine stepped out. His hands were in the air and he was visibly trembling. The instant he reached the ground, he dashed away into one of the buildings in an attempt to get away. "Stop him!"

"I'm on it!" Kallen dashed forward in pursuit. She rounded a corner that he had run through, only to see the man lying face first on the ground. "What happened?"

"Hey! I'm right here!" A figure waved down at her. It was a school boy, or at least his uniform was that of Ashford Academy. She would know. Upon further inspection, she realized that the boy was Suzaku Kururugi, member of the Student Council and Captain of almost every single athletic team. From what she remembered, he was widely popular, although he would always be hanging out with his best friend, Lelouch Lamperouge. The two of them were inseparable. If Suzaku was here, she wondered where Lelouch might be.

"Suzaku Kururugi!" Upon hearing his name, Suzaku stopped and stared at the Glasgow in surprise. He hadn't expected a terrorist to know who he was.

"Uh, do I know you?" Before the Glasgow could answer, another Knightmare appeared from behind the buildings. He recognized it as Villetta Nu's frame, and therefore its pilot must have been Lelouch. "Hey Le –."

Before he could say anything else, a long metal finger pointed in his direction. Lelouch looked directly at him.

"You there. Can you pilot a Knightmare?" Suzaku looked at him confused. Did Lelouch just ask him if he could pilot a Knightmare? Of course he could. The two of them practiced on the Ganymede back in Ashford Academy. If there was anyone who could pilot a Knightmare, it would be Lelouch and Suzaku. Why was Lelouch asking him? Unless... it wasn't Lelouch in the machine. Suzaku nodded to himself in understanding. This machine was obviously, not Lelouch. But the voice sounded so much like Lelouch's that it had to have been him. Suzaku blinked a couple times in confusion. What was going on?

"Uh, yes...sir?"

"Good. Check the enemy's body for a key." Suzaku rummaged through the pilot's pockets until he found a tiny golden key. He held it up to Villetta's Knightamre. "Great. Get in the downed Knightmare."

"Wait, what? I'm not a terrorist!"

"You just took out one of their pilots. You are now."

* * *

"AUGH! Stupid! Stupid! **Stupid!** That worthless piece of shit of a pilot! He lost my Lancelot!"

"Lord Asplund, please calm down." Cecile tried to stop the rampaging scientist as he screamed and knocked away papers in frustration, scattering the sheets all over the floor. She sighed to herself. That would be a pain to clean.

"No! Cecile, you don't understand! My Lancelot is gone! Done! Augh, I should have never listened to Prince Clovis!" Lloyd screamed in hysteria. The distress of losing his his precious Knightmare caused the Earl to go into a frenzied rage. Cecile rubbed her temples as she tried to assess the situation. Never before had something like this happened. Yes, there were times when the Lancelot broke, and yes, there were times when the pilot failed and ended up damaging it, but until now, there was never an incident where the Lancelot was no longer in the possession of the Camelot team. As Lloyd continued to vent his anger, the sound of printing paper caught Cecile's attention. She walked up to the printer and took a look at the new sheets that were being printed. It was strange. The printer was meant to give a constant flow of data from the Lancelot. With the Lancelot being turned off, there was no possible way for any more data to be sent through. Unless...

She took the long stream of paper that was coming out and looked at the data, analyzing it and understand just what was happening to the machine. She gasped in shock as her predication came true. She needed to tell Lloyd.

"Lord Asplund." Unfortunately, the Earl continued to rage and completely ignored her. "Lord Asplund..."

Once again, he did nothing except vent his frustration by smashing his fist on the metal desk. It rang loudly as Lloyd gasped in pain. She had enough of his antics.

"Lloyd!" She slapped him straight across the face and he tumbled over, clutching his left cheek. There was an imprint of her open palm as the red began to spread to his entire cheek. Ouch.

"Augh! Cecile! What are you doing!" She said nothing but threw the long stream of paper that, up till this point, continued to print. "What is this? Data?"

He scanned through the paper, following its long trail all the way back to the printer. With every inch, a smile crept onto his face and it grew larger and larger with each passing moment. Soon, he was grinning like a maniac.

"Yes, yes, yes! To think that a stupid Eleven would be the pilot of the Lancelot. Well, I suppose we can't call him stupid. He is our pilot, after all. Good work, Cecile! Let's see how our new pilot fares, shall we?"

* * *

"Suzaku." Lelouch's voice rang out from the internal speakers of the Lancelot. The inside was much different from the Ganymede considering the Lancelot was supposed to be some new generation model. It was sleek and streamlined with many different controls: a testament to the frame's true capabilities. Upon booting up, a completely different heads up display appeared on Suzaku's screen, and he fumbled with the new system for a few minutes before finally understanding how it worked. He hadn't even stood up, and Lelouch had already connected himself.

"Suzaku, can you hear me?" Suzaku looked around until he found the audio channel he and Lelouch were connected through. He tried speaking.

"I read you, Lelouch." He hoped his message had gotten through. Only moments later, Lelouch's voice came from the other side.

"Good."

"Hey, are you in the Villetta's Knightmare?"

"Obviously."

"Then why did you need to ask if I knew how to pilot a Knightmare. Come on, are my skills in the Ganymede _that_ bad?"

"No, in fact I think you're the best pilot around. Even better than me. However, these terrorists don't know who I am, and I intend to keep it that way. It's bad enough somebody was able to recognize you, but let's pray nobody finds out about me. Got it?"

"Understood."

"Good. Now, how's the new frame?" Suzaku stood up and moved his limbs. He could barely hear the hydraulics pumping and the servos turning as he lifted up an arm. This was a high quality machine. Nothing like the loud rumbling of the Ganymede.

"It's good. Real smooth."

"Can you move?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Ok. Try moving around. Be warned, this frame is slow. It's not very mobi –." Lelouch began to utter before he saw the white and gold Knightmare whip right across his screen. _'What in the world?'_

"Slow, huh? I think this must be the fastest thing in Japan! Ha!" Suzaku moved around, fluently darting between buildings and moving around the rubble of Shinjuku Ghetto. The Lancelot had so many degrees of motion it was like an ice skater on a rink. Full motion. Full control. Suzaku liked it.

He ran at an enemy Sutherland who proceeded to spray him with bullets. Suzaku darted back and forth, dodging each and every one of them before smashing his fist through the Sutherland. The cockpit barely had enough time to eject before the machine exploded. The Lancelot walked through the wreckage unscathed.

"Lelouch. Your orders?"

"We have a country to reclaim." He tuned his radio frequency to that of the terrorists in order to relay a message to them all.

"Congratulations on getting this far. Now is the time we strike! Now is the time we reclaim what was rightfully yours! Now is the day Britannia falls! I am Zero, and you are my Knights! Charge! Charge! Charge for the Palace!"

* * *

_Look there, look yonder! Look there over the hills!_

_What light is there approaching from which yonder spills?_

_An angel! An angel! An angel we cried!_

_Our Lord sent an angel to stand by our side!_

_Rejoice for our Lord, he has answered our prayer!_

_He has sent forth his soldier, a true darkness slayer!_

_For he is the one spoken legends of old,_

_Charging into battle in naught but white and gold._

_He strikes down our enemies with white tempered steel,_

_Break dark chains of oppression, break unholy seal._

_He who cannot be ordered, listens to Zero,_

_Vanquished the shadows, a radiant hero._

_And the angel who descended that the bards of now sing_

_Said naught but "I have come here in the name of our King."_

_-Cynthia Crawford, Sonnet 11_

* * *

"Prince Clovis!" Bartley Aspirius entered the main hall of the Viceroy's Palace where he found the Third Prince enjoying a few new paintings the servants had just brought in.

"Ah, Bartley. I was wondering where you were. Tell me, how are our men doing? Have the terrorists been subdued yet?" Clovis merely laughed as he continued to stare directly at a rather simple painting of a bird.

"Ah, yes, well." The urgency and nervousness in Bartley's voice was not reassuring, nor was it a sign of good fortune. The man continued to stutter as if trying to find the correct words to say.

"Spit it out! What has happened?"

"The terrorists," He managed to choke out between the nervous chatter of his teeth. "They – they – they."

"They what? What are the terrorists doing?"

"They're coming here right now!" Clovis turned his head and whipped around to face the large bald man.

"What?!"

"They've broken out of Shinjuku Ghetto! They've stolen the Lancelot and they're chopping straight through our forces. They'll be here any minute now. We need to get you out!" At that, the ground shook as something must have exploded nearby. The terrorists were already descending on the palace.

"Why wasn't I notified earlier? How did this happen?" Clovis walked up to the throne room in an attempt to reclaim control over Area Eleven. "Bartley, speak!"

"Of course, your Highness. It seems as though the new pilot of the Lancelot is extremely skilled. He is incredibly fast and has been spearheading the terrorist attack. They've cut a very narrow path straight towards us."

"Then what of the other regiments? The ones stationed outside of the Ghetto?"

"They are still awaiting orders, sir." Clovis smirked as he planned the battle in his mind. While there were quite a few terrorists, they didn't account for the Viceroy's sheer number of soldiers at his command. They may have acquired Britannia's superior technology, but they will never hold against the overwhelming forces only a single order away from collapsing on their little ragtag team in every single direction.

"Good. Annihilate them. I want the dead bodies of every single terrorist hung for the Elevens to see. Then, perhaps they will understand their meaningless plight."

"Yes sir." Bartley left to relay the prince's orders to the rest of the army. The terrorists may have plowed through the center of the Britannian forces, but they've left their flanks wide open. It was a sound strategy. Yes, it would work. Today would be the day the terrorists fell.

* * *

"Zero, we've got trouble! Britannian forces are coming up behind us in give or take ten minutes! What are your orders?"

"Are we completely surrounded?" Lelouch assessed the situation.

"We are."

Lelouch smirked behind his machine, grinning at the screen of the battlefield before him. The rebels, as they were now calling themselves, were currently stationed in a densely populated region with towering skyscrapers and large buildings. It was nothing like the open space of the freeways they were battling in not hours before. Lelouch chuckled as every piece on the board came joining together in an intricate strategy that would win them the palace.

"Good. This is going to be our new home for the next hour or so."

"What?"

"Hunker down. We have ten minutes to turn this piece of the city into our very own fort. Stall, and I shall take care of the rest."

The buildings and narrow streets made it difficult to traverse the terrain without collateral damage. And knowing Clovis, he would rather lose the terrorists than the approval of the Britannian citizens, for to him, their approval and adoration meant more than anything else in the world. He would never order an all-out offensive like Shinjuku Ghetto. Locals were nothing more than cattle to herd around, but Britannians. Britannians were his people, his subjects, and a king always takes care of his subjects. In the confines of the Britannian city, Lelouch and his Knights were safe.

"And you sir?"

"I will blitz their King, for once he falls, the game is over."

"Will you be going alone then?"

"No. I shall be taking the White Knightmare along with a small strike team. We will cut straight through into the palace and force the viceroy's hand. The rest of you must survive, is this clear?"

"Yes sir!"

"Good." He switched his radio back to Suzaku's personal line. "Suzaku, on me. We're going straight for Clovis."

* * *

"My Prince, our forces are in place. Shall we flush them out once more?"

"Absolutely not! They are on Britannian ground! This isn't that Eleven dump of a ghetto like before! No, I want your men to go slow. Take your time advancing, and watch out for collateral damage. Not a single Britannian civilian shall be injured today."

"But sir, they're heavily fortified. They have Knightmares on the buildings and around unsuspecting corners. To slowly advance through means death for countless of our soldiers! I must ask you to reconsider!"

"General. I understand your hesitancy, as these are your men you are sentencing to death, but know that these men that you now order, these soldiers, are the very ones who offered themselves up to be the shields and swords of our great nation. They understand that if they die in the line of duty, then it will be worth it in the end. That is honor, no? If they charge in without care for our people, then aren't the turning their backs on the ones they sworn to protect? Are the not tarnishing their honor, their promise to the homeland? If they must die to ensure our people are safe, then so be it."

"...Of course, your Highness. I apologize for my outburst. Not a single Britannian shall be hurt toda –,"

_Crash! Ratatatatatatata!_ The sound of bullets echoed through the halls. The doors to the throne room swung open to reveal a lower ranking officer – a messenger.

"Sir, sir! Prince Clovis! Please, get to the bunker! The terrorists are assaulting the palace! Some of them has gotten into the compound!" The officer stopped to regain his breath. The general went to help his man stand steady. He had obviously run at a rapid pace.

"Who was it? How many were there?"

"Some Sutherlands and one frame sir: White and Gold. A model I've never seen before."

Clovis cursed under his breath.

"The Lancelot. Shit. It's faster than I expected. General, you know what to do. Take those terrorists out! Get every single Sutherland we have and stop that Knightmare!" He shouted, ordering his men. Both officers scurried to carry out their orders. As they left the room, the sound of bullets echoing in the background faded, evident that the Lancelot was slowly getting father and farther away. This left Clovis alone on his throne, until he too, stood up and left.

He walked through the halls of the Viceroy's Palace, making his way to the underground bunker hidden beneath the compound. In the case of a dire emergency, the Viceroy could be protected. Aside from the Imperial shelter in Pendragon, the bunkers underneath the Viceroys' Palaces were possibly the safest ones in the world.

As he rounded a corner, a barely audible click sounded right behind him. Something poked through his cloak at his back. A gun. _'Shit. How was there another terrorist? I thought there was the one in the Lancelot.' _He raised his hands in surrender.

"...What do you want, terrorist." Clovis managed to grit through his teeth as he focused on the gun holstered upon his hip. If only he had some way of reaching down. Then, one quick and fluid motion of drawing the gun, spinning around and firing, and the assailant would be dead. However, with the terrorist's weapon held directly behind his back, Clovis wasn't going to risk pulling off such a daring maneuver. If they hadn't killed him the instant they saw him, it meant they weren't going to kill him until they ordered him around. He could turn this one in his favor.

"Call off your men. Right now." He hadn't expected to get caught, and by an Eleven no less. There he stood on the hinges of life and death. But he wasn't going to die. At least, not today. Clovis decided to comply. "Reach into your pocket slowly, and tell them to retreat."

"Hmpf. Very well. As he spoke, Clovis pulled out a phone and dialed Bartley's personal number. It only took a single ring before the man picked up. "Bartley. Call off the advance. Have the army stand its ground."

A faint "Yes, your Highness," came through the phone as Clovis hung up. The terrorist behind him jabbed his back once more with the gun. _Bang! _The sound of a single shot reverberated through the halls as the bullet embedded itself onto the floor.

"Bang. If I were truly a terrorist, you would've been dead right then and there, Clovis. You should be more careful." Taking that as a sign he could turn, Clovis dropped his arms and spun around, looking directly at his "attacker." It was someone he never would have expected.

"Lelouch?"

"Good afternoon, brother. It seems like you've gotten yourself in quite of a bind, haven't you?" Lelouch holstered the gun before turning his head back to Clovis. "To think you would have died if I were a real terrorist."

"Ha, little brother, you amuse me. And here I thought one of the Elevens was going to end me. No, instead, I find the little brother nobody has heard from in ages." Clovis relaxed and chuckled. He only grinned before his demeanor became dark and serious. "You lead the terrorists, didn't you?"

"But of course. How else do you think their ragtag group of freedom fighters got their hands on Sutherlands? How do you think they managed to capture your newest Knightmare which by the way, is impressive. And how do you honestly expect them to run directly into the Viceroy's Palace, the most heavily guarded region in Area Eleven? Their success stems from my intervention."

"Just like before, you seem to have outdone yourself. Now let me ask you, Lelouch, are you here to kill me?" Clovis placed his hand onto his own pistol, ready to fire at the Eleventh Prince if necessary. Lelouch had been associating with terrorists. He helped them infiltrate a government building, steal multiple state-of-the-art technologies, deal millions of dollars in damage, and killed a good handful of soldiers.

"Calm yourself. I'm not here to kill you nor anyone else for that matter." As if to prove his point, Lelouch unloaded the gun and let the magazine fall to the ground. "See, no harm here."

"You realize your actions have costed us the lives of many of our finest soldiers!"

"True, but they did not die in vain. Their deaths were necessary to secure Area Eleven."

"Secure? What do you mean, secure? If anything, your little rebellion did exactly the opposite!"

"Not quite. Clovis, why do you think I came here today?" To the Third Prince, that question was almost obvious. It was a means of humiliation – a means used by the nobility and imperial family for centuries. Defeat meant humiliation, and humiliation meant submission. Lelouch wanted control. He took a pathetic group of elevens and commanded them against the most powerful nation in the world with soldiers numbering in the millions. What was worse, was that he had won. It was truly a failure on the part of the Viceroy.

"I see. You want the throne. Father will consider me a disgrace to his blood, and you shall take over in my stead." Clovis reached for his gun, bringing it up and pointing it at Lelouch. "But you cannot take it from me! I am the Viceroy of Area Eleven! I am Clovis La Britannia, Third Prince of the Empire, and as much as I hate it, I will crush you like any other Eleven if you dare stand in my way."

Lelouch stared at the silver barrel of the pistol inches away from his forehead. He looked at Clovis, amused, before gripping the weapon. Clovis flinched, but did not move as Lelouch slowly brought the gun down. Lelouch chuckled before speaking.

"Clovis, Clovis, Clovis. I applaud you for being so daring. I had not expected it in your nature to be so vicious. I was wrong, but then again, so are you. You see, I don't want your throne, or at least, not yet."

"And why is that? The powers of a king is something envied by all."

"Ha. That, I already have." Lelouch answered cryptically as he smiled at his newfound power. "But sadly, I must admit you are the better King. Or at least, as of right now you are. You have a public image, and you're loved by almost all of the Britannian civilians. Why, I believe you have the highest Britannian approval rating in any of the Areas. The local rating, however, could be a...little higher."

"Bah, what do you want me to do about those stupid Elevens? I give them something to work with and they just spit in my face. I made the honorary Britannian system so they could integrate into our society, but what do they do? They throw bombs instead. The Elevens mean nothing."

"You made the honorary Britannian system so you could have an entire wall of cannon fodder at your disposal. It thins the number of people you need to keep watch."

"And you sound like an Eleven sympathizer." Clovis shot Lelouch a dirty look.

"One of my most trusted friends is a local. But don't misunderstand. I don't sympathize with the locals, but your policies towards them are far too radical. How do you expect to have them charge into battle when they are being oppressed and discriminated? Use them, not abuse them."

"Use? You truly think that the Elevens could be of some use to the empire?" Clovis chuckled at the notion. Elevens? Useful? Perhaps they were useful for blocking a bullet or too, but what else could an Eleven do?

"But of course. They're a hard working bunch. Lots of integrity and tenacity. Had we not assassinated Genbu Kururugi, we would have been faced with resistance and revolution a thousand times in scale. That same tenacity can be brought over to work on our side. We just need to see us in a better light."

"Then what do you propose? The terrorists and the JFL are creating uproars in the masses. Many of the Elevens sided with them, and many more join by the day. At this rate, I'm going to need to send the entirety of the Britannian military."

"Unnecessary. I said I'm not here for the throne. I am, however, here for the glory."

And it finally dawned onto him. Clovis realized what Lelouch had been wanting all along. Lelouch was going to take down the enemies of Britannia and create a name for himself. He was going to raise his notoriety so that each and every person in Britannia knew who he was and what he was capable of.

"Father won't be pleased with me. If you're the one who takes down the terrorists, then he'll gladly give the throne back to you. I can't let that happen."

"I'll remind you once again: I'm not here for your throne. This is why I propose we...work together. A collaboration that uses the best of our skills. Yours in the public, and mine in the strategic. And after we've taken control, I'll most likely move to somewhere else, and Area Eleven falls under your jurisdiction once more."

"Ha! Very well Lelouch, we have reached an accord. Let us take down these terrorists. You may take as many men as you need. They're yours now, General Lelouch." Clovis stuck out his hand. Lelouch shook it.

"Thank you, Viceroy Clovis."

* * *

"_Clovis la Britannia, also known as the Venerated Prince, was man of the people. It was actually in that principle that he received his title. Venerated means respected. Revered, and revered he was. During his reign as Viceroy, the modern equivalent of the governor, Clovis la Britannia showed off his ability for performance, and his love for the arts. He hosted many galleries and events, ranging from the Annual Britannian Arts and Culture gallery in Tokyo to the Bicentennial la Britannia Award for the best artists in the world. He was also an excellent politician, creating many housing complexes for Britannians and locals alike. He created the Honorary Britannian program, where locals could be further integrated into society – they would not feel like outcasts. Whether it be in the form of entertainment, or public works, Clovis la Britannia was a true man of the people._

_Was he always like this? Unfortunately not. Clovis' reign began on shaky ground with many difficulties and tragedies along the way. Securing Area Eleven and turning it into one of the most prosperous locationss of the empire – next to the captiol of Pendragon, is perhaps his crowning achievement. And as a person, the Prince has grown over time, becoming the Clovis we now remember. It is unfortunate that he had to meet his untimely end, but even then, his noble sacrifice would not be soon forgotten._

_-An excerpt from Venerated by Carmen Cruz, written in 2114._

* * *

**A/N: Hey I hope you've enjoyed this new chapter. Your reviews and comments are what really keep me writing, so thanks to all of you who reviewed. This was a pretty fun chapter to write, and I hope it holds to standards. Please leave a review/comment below, and I'll see you all next time!**


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